The Segments

The tool identifies eight segments that describe different kinds of increasing and higher risk drinkers. These range in number from 6 to 13. Segments 1 to 5 are not included because they are not part of the target audience.

The eight segments are described briefly below with more details available from the tool itself. DH recommends that the primary segments to focus on are 10,12 and 13. The secondary segments are 8 and 9.

Primary segments

Segment 10

Segment 10 includes high numbers of pensioners, who are generally in poor health with conditions that include asthma, angina and heart problems. They have high acute hospital admissions. They often live alone and in local authority flats. As well as drinking beer and spirits, they are likely to smoke. They tend to read tabloids.

Segment 12

Segment 12 includes people with a broad range of ages, who are likely to live in terraces, often in former industrial areas. They generally have the worst levels of overall health, with asthma, cholesterol and heart conditions as well as high acute hospital admissions. They are likely to smoke and drink beer and lager, at home and in pubs. They tend to read tabloids.

Segment 13

Segment 13 includes young people in their 20s who have a very high rate of acute admissions. They are likely to live alone in local authority flats or hostels, be unemployed and some are single parents. They are likely to drink large amounts of both beer and spirits and to smoke. They tend to read tabloids.

Secondary segments

Segment 8

Segment 8 includes blue collar workers, living in post-industrial parts of England, who often live in terraces or semi-detached houses that are rented from local authorities. With high hospital admissions, they are likely to smoke and to drink bitter, lager and spirits, mostly at home. They tend to read tabloids.

Segment 9

Segment 9 includes parents in their late 20's to early 30's who have several young children. Many are divorced and/or single parents. They are likely to live in flats or terraced houses and to be unemployed or unskilled. With high hospital admissions, they are also likely to smoke, eat fast food and drink vodka and canned lager. They tend to read tabloids.

Other segments

Segment 6

Segment 6 includes affluent, young people, aged under 30 who are either students or graduates, often living in private flats. Although their hospital admissions are low, they tend to drink a lot of wine. Apart from that, they are likely to have healthy lifestyles. The media they consume usually includes broadsheets and the internet.

Segment 7

Segment 7 includes affluent, professionals who are over 45, often living in their own detached homes and with household incomes that are more than £50,000. They are generally healthy - despite eating a lot of rich food - and have low hospital admissions. They are likely to drink bitter in pubs but are unlikely to smoke. They tend to read broadsheets.

Segment 11

Segment 11 includes students and unemployed young people who live alone or share flats, often in multi-ethnic student areas. Likely to be binge drinkers and smokers, they usually drink draught lager and spirits. Despite this - and high rates depression - they are physically healthy. The newspapers they tend to read are quite diverse, including both tabloids and broadsheets.