Key variables in Beard et al. (2017)

In Beard et al. 2017, the researchers examined monthly population trends in smoking- and alcohol-related behaviours in England. The study specifically focused on six core variables: smoking prevalence, motivation to quit smoking, quit attempts, high-risk drinking, motivation to reduce alcohol consumption, and attempts to reduce alcohol consumption.

1. Smoking prevalence

Smoking prevalence means the proportion of adults in the sample who were current smokers. In Beard et al. 2017, monthly data were used to track changes in how common smoking was in the population over time.

2. Motivation to quit smoking

Motivation to quit smoking refers to the proportion of smokers who were motivated to stop smoking. In the study, this variable was used as a monthly population measure of motivation to stop smoking.

3. Quit attempts

Quit attempts means the proportion of smokers who had made attempts to stop smoking. Beard et al. 2017 included this as one of the main smoking-related behaviour measures in its time-series analysis.

4. High-risk drinking

High-risk drinking was defined in Beard et al. 2017 as having an Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score greater than 8. The paper states that 13.0% of participants were high-risk drinkers, using this definition.

• Definition: AUDIT score > 8
• Meaning: the proportion of adults whose alcohol use placed them in the study’s high-risk drinking category

5. Motivation to reduce alcohol consumption

Motivation to reduce alcohol consumption refers to the proportion of high-risk drinkers who intended to reduce their drinking. Beard et al. 2017 indicates that this monthly measure was obtained by counting respondents who reported that they intended to reduce their consumption within 3 months.

6. Attempts to reduce alcohol consumption

Attempts to reduce alcohol consumption means the proportion of high-risk drinkers who reported that they had made attempts to cut down their drinking. This was the alcohol-related parallel to quit attempts for smoking in Beard et al. 2017.

Summary list

• Smoking prevalence: proportion of adults who were current smokers
• Motivation to quit smoking: proportion of smokers motivated to stop smoking
• Quit attempts: proportion of smokers who made attempts to stop smoking
• High-risk drinking: proportion of adults with an AUDIT score greater than 8
• Motivation to reduce alcohol consumption: proportion of high-risk drinkers intending to reduce drinking within 3 months
• Attempts to reduce alcohol consumption: proportion of high-risk drinkers who made attempts to reduce drinking

Together, these variables allowed Beard et al. 2017 to test whether monthly changes in smoking-related behaviours were associated with monthly changes in alcohol-related behaviours.