The Attitudes and Behaviour towards Alcohol Survey (ABAS) is a national survey of people aged 15 years and over about alcohol consumption patterns, alcohol-related behaviour, consequences
of consuming alcohol, and attitudes. Results from the 2013/14, 2014/15 and 2015/16 surveys were combined to allow analysis of sub population groups such as those living in geographic regions. This report presents descriptive results about alcohol-related behaviours, attitudes and experiences of 783 people aged 15 years and over living in the Bay of Plenty region.
Key Results
62% of respondents reported consuming alcohol in the last four weeks. Of these:
- 25% reported risky drinking behaviour
- 20% reported at least one negative/harmful experience from drinking alcohol, most commonly “spent too much money on alcohol” (10%) and “did something embarrassing that you later regretted” (5%)
- respondents in urban areas were more likely to report feeling “good, happy, or relaxed” (83%) or able to “de-stress, wind down” (75%), compared with those living in rural areas (73% and 66% respectively).
Supermarkets (74%), bottle or liquor stores (41%), and restaurants/cafés (24%) were where respondents most often purchased alcohol in the last four weeks.
- Fewer respondents purchased alcohol at bar/nightclubs (18%) or restaurants/cafés (24%), compared with the rest of New Zealand (23% and 32% respectively).
- More respondents in urban areas purchased alcohol at bar/nightclubs (23%), compared with those in rural areas (11%).
When asked about the sale and supply of alcohol in their community:
- more respondents agreed that licensed premises were too close to public facilities like schools (41%), compared with the rest of New Zealand (34%)
- fewer respondents agreed that the bars/pubs in their community had a good reputation (50%), compared with the rest of New Zealand (56%).