Project overview:

Compared to previous generations, today’s young people can obtain alcohol in different ways and are experiencing new and changed influences on their use. Availability has expanded through rapid online delivery and sales; acceptability has shifted with de-normalisation of youth drinking; and marketing is increasingly personalised, with digital marketing targeting youth, and new products designed to appeal to young people (e.g., hard seltzers, zero-alcohol drinks).

Changes in availability, acceptability and marketing of alcohol have likely had new, profound impacts on youth alcohol use and health outcomes that may carry into adulthood. Intervening early is critical to minimise harm. To be effective, harm minimisation approaches must be tailored to the contemporary alcohol landscape and the needs of young people. Yet current approaches have not kept pace with changes in the landscape. Young people and key stakeholders have identified an unmet need for evidence on how young people today experience alcohol availability, acceptability and marketing; how these experiences impact on young people’s health; the effectiveness of current laws and policies; and what young people need and want from future harm minimisation efforts.

Working with young people and other end users (e.g., government, youth, mental health, advocacy, education, early intervention and other health service partners), the Next Wave study will enable evidence- and consumer-informed harm minimisation strategies that respond to emerging challenges in alcohol availability, acceptability and attractiveness and, in turn, improve health and wellbeing.

Specifically, the Next Wave study will aim to:

1. Identify young people’s experiences of alcohol availability, acceptability and marketing;
2. Evaluate the impact of alcohol availability, acceptability and marketing on youth mental and physical health;
3. Determine the effectiveness of current alcohol harm minimisation approaches; and
4. Understand young people’s views, values, priorities and needs regarding future approaches.

Project collaborators (external):

• Professor Kathryn Backholer, Deakin University
• Associate Professor Michael Livingston, Curtin University
• Dr Philip Clare, University of Sydney
• Professor Emmanuel Kuntsche, La Trobe University
• Dr Cassandra Wright, Menzies School of Health Research
• Professor Raimondo Bruno, University of Tasmania
• Professor Paula O'Brien, University of Melbourne
• Dr Florentine Martino, Deakin University
• Dr Emily Deans, Youth Solutions
• Alexandra Henderson, Centre for Alcohol & Other Drugs, NSW Health
• Finnley Stirling, Youth Affairs Council Victoria
• Dr Benjamin Riordan, La Trobe University
• Emma Pristov, VicHealth Lead
• Professor Paul Dietze, Burnet Institute
• Dr Aimee Brownbill, Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education
• Professor Craig Olsson, Deakin University
• Ellie Morrissey, Youth Focus
• Dr Nataly Bovopoulos, Alcohol and Drug Foundation
• Professor Susan Sawyer, University of Melbourne

Project partners:

• NSW Health
• Mental Health Commission Western Australia
• Youth Solutions
• Victorian Health Promotion Foundation
• Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education
• Alcohol and Drug Foundation
• Youth Focus
• Youth Affairs Council Victoria

Design and method:

The Next Wave study comprises a prospective longitudinal cohort study tracking 1000 15-year-old Australians over at minimum four annual waves (i.e., to age 18). Participants will complete at 12-month intervals:

• Screen recordings from their primary digital device over two days, with AI-enabled analysis to quantify alcohol marketing; and
• Online survey measuring alcohol availability, acceptability and marketing, alcohol use, and mental and physical health over the past 12 months.

Focus groups with a subset of participants will identify youth perspectives on potential harm minimisation approaches.

The Next Wave study is designed in accordance with Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) principles, and is guided by our Youth Council and Project Advisory Group.

Data collection will commence in 2026.

Benefits:

Co-designed from the outset with young people and our diverse partners (government, youth, mental health, advocacy, education, early intervention and other health services), the Next Wave study will improve youth health and wellbeing and amplify youth voices in policy and research. Through workshops with young people and our partners, we will establish a translation strategy that includes actionable policy recommendations, a living online hub with resources, and a sustainable Community of Practice. These activities, coupled with broader dissemination and translation activities, will enable rapid and ongoing uptake of evidence into harm minimisation approaches that address alcohol risk environments and, in turn, help to reduce alcohol use and related health harms for young Australians.

Funding support:

The Medical Research Future Fund & the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.