Abstract
Swedish cross-sectional survey data on young individuals was used to analyse the determinants of perceived risks of alcohol use and how these perceptions relate to drinking behaviour. Three major conclusions were drawn: (1) that people overestimate the risks of alcoholism, (2) that these risk perceptions fall substantially with age, but nevertheless imply risk overestimation, and (3) that education about alcohol, narcotics and tobacco leads individuals to perceive risks more correctly and to have lower risk beliefs. An additional finding was that individuals with higher perceived risks were less likely to consume alcohol. Equations were estimated both separately and simultaneously.
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Lundborg, P., Lindgren, B. Risk Perceptions and Alcohol Consumption among Young People. Journal of Risk and Uncertainty 25, 165–183 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020695730192
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020695730192