Influence of alcohol marketing project on youth drinking behavior in Dagoretti north sub county, Nairobi county, kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of alcohol marketing on youth drinking behaviour. The study was guided by the following objectives: to determine the influence of alcohol advertising, corporate social responsibility programs, innovative alcohol product designs and sponsorship of events by the alcohol industry on youth drinking behaviour in Dagoretti North Sub County, Nairobi County, Kenya. The study population was 125,000 youth aged 18-34 in Dagoretti North Sub County in Kilimani, Kawangware, Kabiro, Gatina and Kileleshwa wards, with a sample target of 386 respondents determined using the Krejcie and Morgan formula of 1986. Questionnaires were used to collect information from the respondents. The number of respondents in each ward were determined through proportionate stratified sampling and thereafter, purposive sampling was employed whereby only youth who consume alcohol or have at one time consumed alcohol were included in the study. The instrument‘s validity and reliability were enhanced through a pilot study in Westlands Sub County and the results were not included in the main study. Content validity was used by the researcher engaging experts in the Extra Mural Department. The questionnaires were administered to the respondents by the researcher assisted by two research assistants. The research began after obtaining a research permit from the Department of Science and Technology, Kenya. On alcohol advertising, the findings revealed that, 68.8% have consumed an alcohol brand because of an advertisement they liked. This means that alcohol advertising influences youth to consume alcohol. On Corporate social responsibility, the findings revealed that 16.5% believe that corporate social responsibility from the Alcohol Industry is not making Kenya better and is instead a form of marketing that is aimed at selling more alcohol products. On Sponsorship, findings revealed that 70% have been influenced to consume more alcohol because of sponsorship from the alcohol industry at an event. On innovative alcohol products, 73.1% say they have been influenced to drink more fancy, fruit flavoured drinks heavily marketed by the Alcohol Industry. The study recommends stricter alcohol marketing regulation not only because this is what young people are asking for, but also because young people are exposed on a regular basis to alcohol marketing, which is proven to speed up the onset age of drinking and encourage those who do drink alcohol to drink more. On suggested areas for research, the study recommends further research be conducted on alcohol marketing’s influence on youth drinking behaviour through longitudinal studies that span 10–20 years (from drinking initiation to adulthood and the establishment of life-time drinking habits) in Kenya.