Association of mass media exposure and alcohol consumption apropos alcohol-advertisement ban in India: multilevel analysis of panel data.

Understanding the role of mass media in shaping the perception of individual health behavior in India, alcohol promoting advertisement bans were imposed on all mass media platforms. However, minimal research explored how the mass media had influenced the alcohol behavior of Indian individual's overtime after imposing a an. The present study examined the effect of mass media exposure to abate alcohol consumption behavior among the Indian population, adjusting for heterogeneity in the risk of alcohol consumption across India's communities and states. The India Human Development Survey panel data, including 16661 individuals, were used for analysis. Multivariable analyses were performed using three-level random intercept logit models to show the variation in consumption behavior across communities and states. Watching TV, listening to the radio and reading newspapers had no significant influence on alcohol consumption during 2005 and 2012, respectively. We have found a high correlation of alcohol consumption among individuals belonging to the same community and state. The study found an insignificant association of mass media with alcohol consumption but higher heterogeneity at the community and state levels. Thus, it suggests programs and campaigns targeting a particular group to address India's high-risk communities and states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]