Alcohol is a large contributor to sexual risk behaviour and HIV acquisition, according to a growing body of social science and epidemiological research.

Building on this emerging evidence, researchers need comparable measurements and tools in order to:

• clarify associations between alcohol and other factors
• measure the magnitude of the problem
• design interventions and argue for policies to address it

STRIVE's Working Group on Alcohol and HIV risk produced this measurement brief. It provides guidance to researchers who are not content experts on alcohol but want to explore the impact of alcohol use on health and development.

The brief covers ways to measure:

• individual alcohol use
• “a drink”
• risky behaviour
• beliefs and norms about drinking
• environmental factors

Download a print-ready version of the brief here.

Alcohol containers and measures in Windhoek, Namibia