This 'data map' is provided as a tool for researchers to navigate the publicly available data on alcohol in the UK. We hope that this will facilitate secondary analysis of extensive resources currently available.

The search tool below can be used to identify datasets that contain variables of interest, or use particular methods. In addition, some features of the sample can be selected.

These various features have been grouped into 'search fields', which in turn have been grouped, in the drop-down list below, into demographic and health variables, alcohol variables, and sampling and methods. Once you have selected a search field, a drop-down list of 'values' for that field will become available.

You may include as many search terms as you like, using 'add search term' if you want more than two. Search terms must be linked using one of the connectors, 'and', 'or', or 'not'. For example, if you wished to find longitudinal studies of binge-drinking in under-18s, you would select:

We hope that you will find our groupings fairly intuitive. Where the names of search fields are not self-explanatory, the drop-down list of values for that field should make things clear. If not, please let us know.

Most of the datasets are based on surveys that were conducted repeatedly, in series. Therefore, the results of your search give the titles of the series together with a list of the relevant years. Clicking on the title gives a brief description of the series whilst clicking on one of the years gives a more detailed description of the dataset for that particular year. In addition, links are given to the relevant UK data archive records, where most of the datasets are freely available.

Note on age variables: These are intended to allow for searches for datasets that include a particular age group, not those that are restricted to that age group. Where descriptions of datasets did not include an upper age limit, we have set that to 110. We make no guarantee that any 110 year-olds were actually surveyed!

To return to this page from the any of the results pages, use the 'Data Map' link in the left hand menu.