Using simulation modelling to perform alcohol policy experiments

Acute harms experienced by young, heavy alcohol drinkers, such as verbal aggression, being sick from drinking too much or having difficulty getting home after a night out are topics of significant public health concern. Although policies are often proposed to minimise these harms, there is rarely any evidence available to support their effectiveness. However, computer-based simulation models are effective, cutting-edge research tools that are increasingly being used to compare hypothetical policies, to help decide what is likely to be the most effective and why this is the case. ‘SimDrink’ is an existing simulation model of a population of 18-25 year olds engaging in heavy sessional drinking on a night out in Melbourne. It has been purposefully designed to provide a means for conducting alcohol policy experiments to inform policy decisions. This project will gather data on current or proposed alcohol policies, develop / program additional model features as required, and compare the outcomes of simulated individuals under different policy scenarios. Policy examples that could be tested include the effects of happy hours, changes to the enforcement of responsible service of alcohol, changes to alcohol taxation, or gender based entrance policies for commercial venues.