Journal/Magazine Articles
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://repository.kln.ac.lk/handle/123456789/13
This collection contains original research articles, review articles and case reports published in local and international peer reviewed journals by the staff members of the Faculty of Medicine
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Item The Alcohol marketing policy environment and adolescent drinking in Sri Lanka: A qualitative exploration of stakeholder perspectives(Wiley-Blackwell, 2022) Athauda, L.; Peiris-John, R.; McCool, J.; Wickremasinghe, R.; Ameratunga, S.ABSTRACT: Adolescents continue to be exposed to alcohol marketing, despite the existence of alcohol control policies in Sri Lanka. National-level policies restrict all forms of alcohol advertising, promotions, and sponsorship and sale to minors. The act calls for the need to protect children and adolescents from exposure to the harm of alcohol. This article investigates stakeholders' perceptions of the alcohol marketing policy environment in Sri Lanka, with a specific focus on policies designed to prevent or curtail adolescent drinking. Between May and July 2019, in-depth interviews were conducted with policy stakeholders in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Thematic analysis was conducted on the audio-recorded interviews that were transcribed and translated and imported to NVivo12. Fifteen policy stakeholders from government and nongovernment organizations participated in this study. The overarching theme identified a lukewarm alcohol marketing policy environment. This situation was facilitated by the alcohol industry acting as the vector, an amber light approach towards public health programs, and other factors contributing to the perceived ineffectiveness of the alcohol marketing policy environment. A unified public health approach supported by policy and political commitment may pave the way for better alcohol control in Sri Lanka.Item Factors influencing alcohol use among adolescents in South Asia: A Systematic review(Piscataway, NJ, 2020) Athauda, L.K.; Peiris-John, R.; Ameratunga, S.; McCool, J.; Wickremasinghe, R.OBJECTIVE: Alcohol is the leading cause of disability-adjusted life years among 15- to 19-year-olds globally; yet, social and structural determinants of alcohol use among adolescents in low- and middle-income countries are largely unknown. Given that a quarter of the global adolescent population lives in South Asia, this systematic review aims to identify factors influencing alcohol use among 10- to 19-year-olds living in South Asia (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka). METHOD: We systematically searched eight databases (SCOPUS, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, AMED, EBSCO Host), gray literature, and relevant websites for studies reporting influences at psycho-individual, family, school, peer, neighborhood, or country levels. QATSDD (Quality Assessment Tool for Studies with Diverse Designs) was used for quality assessment. The study protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42017084773). RESULTS: Twenty-three studies were eligible for inclusion. Male gender, age greater than 14 years, depression, religious belief, parental/family members' drinking, reduced parental attention, peer-drinking/pressure/approval, and urban neighborhood were associated with increased risks of adolescent drinking. No information was available from Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Maldives. There is little evidence available on the determinants at a national (legislature, industry, and media), school, and personality level. CONCLUSIONS: The distal determinants of alcohol use among adolescents living in South Asia are largely unknown. As adolescent drinking behaviors change in response to social media and industry influence, more evidence is needed to reflect the South Asia context.