Download Community Perceptions and Alcohol

Alcohol in Australia
Examining strategies to combat the harms
Nathan Hawkins
Director - Adventist Health NNSW Conference
A snapshot of alcohol
in Australia
% of the adult
population that
report
consuming
alcohol recently
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2008) The National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2007.
Annual cost, in
billions of $, of
alcohol-related
harms
Collins DJ, Lapsley HM (2008). The cost of tobacco, alcohol and illicit drug abuse to Australian society in
2004/05. Monograph Series No 64. Canberra: Department of Health & Ageing.
The % of youth
aged 18-24 yrs
who regularly
drink until they
pass out
AERF (2007). New research - one third of 18-24 year olds consider themselves “binge drinkers” – others say
excess drinking bad for love, sex & weight. Canberra: Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation.
3 -4
Annual deaths,
in thousands,
associated with
alcohol
Chikritzhs T, Jonas H, Heale P, Dietze P, Hanlin K and Stockwell T (1999). Alcohol-caused deaths and
hospitalisations in Australia, 1990-1997. National Alcohol Indicators Bulletin No. 1
The % of
hospitalisations
in 15-25 yr olds
that are alcohol
related
www.drinkwise.com.au
% of all deaths
of 14-17 year
olds are
associated with
alcohol
Chikritzhs T, Pascal R and Jones P (2004). Under-aged drinking among 14-17 year olds and related harms in
Australia. National Alcohol Indicators Bulletin No. 7
% of all assaults
are alcohol
related
Victorian Government (2008). Victoria’s Alcohol Action Plan 2008-2013 - Restoring the Balance
% of “drug
incidents”
attended by
paramedics are
alcohol related
Victorian Government (2008). Victoria’s Alcohol Action Plan 2008-2013 - Restoring the Balance
% of all ‘street
incidents’ that
are alcohol
related
Ireland S and Thommeny JL (1993) The crime cocktail: licensed premises, alcohol and street offences. Drug
Alcohol Review. 12, pp. 143–150
Annual salary
cost, in millions
of $, of policing
alcohol related
crime in NSW
Donnelly N, Scott L, Poynton S, Weatherburn D, Shanahan M and Hansen F. (2007) Estimating the short-term
cost of police time spent dealing with alcohol-related crime in NSW. Commonwealth of Australia, 25.
.
Annual cost, in
millions of $, of
alcohol injuries
at St Vincent's
Hospital
Poynton S et al 2005. The role of alcohol in injuries presenting to St Vincent’s Hospital Emergency
Department and the associated short-term costs. Alcohol studies bulletin no. 6.
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Why is it a challenge
to tackle alcoholrelated harms?
Million $ of
annual gifts
from the Alc
Industry to
political parties
Stark J (2008) Alcopops Kapow! The Age, April 28
300
The number, in
thousands, of
employees
connected with
the alcohol
industry
International Centre for Alcohol Policies (2006) The structure of the beverage alcohol industry. Report 17
Annual alcohol
sponsorship, in
millions of $, of
sporting clubs
and codes
Munro G (2008) Sport should shoulder some of the responsibility. Community Alcohol Action Network
130
Annual alcohol
industry
spending on TV
advertising, in
millions of $
Uniting Church (2009) Advertise Responsibly – Curbing Unethical Advertising by the Alcohol Industry
Annual
turnover, in
billions of $, of
the alcohol
industry
Stark J (2007) Alcohol time bomb set to explode. The Age, May 5
2.5
Stark J (2008) Alcopops Kapow! The Age, April 28
The % of Aust’s
national GDP
contributed by
the Alcohol
Industry
Annual
Australian tax
income from
alcohol sales, in
billions of $
Distilled Spirits Industry Council of Australia (2006) Alcohol tax in Australia 2006.
122
Stark J (2007) Alcohol: the problem. The Age, May 5
Annual tax
income from
underage
alcohol sales, in
millions of $
The % of tax
revenue from
sales invested in
treatment and
prevention
Stark J (2007) Alcohol: the problem. The Age, May 5
Alcohol Education:
Young People
(schools and mass
media)
Alcohol Education in
Schools: a background
Research shows a decrease in the proportion of students 12 – 17
years reporting using any drug, including alcohol, in the last week
(Australian Secondary Students’ Alcohol and Drugs Survey 2008) .
When leading alcohol education, teachers need to avoid
normalising alcohol use.
Research clearly shows the effect of alcohol on the developing
brain
The age of initiation into alcohol use has decreased over the years.
(Young people and alcohol the role of cultural influences, Roche et al (NCETA, 2008) .
Of 12 to 17 year olds, up to 30% regularly binge drink (more than 5
standard drinks) (ASSADS survey 2005)
Historical approaches to
school drug education
Information-based approaches: focusing on knowledge about
drugs and fear arousal, usually with an abstinence goal.
Affective approaches: improving generic personal and
interpersonal skills.
Information plus affective approaches
Psychosocial approaches: based upon social influence theory
and focus on developing skills in peer resistance and peer
refusal, social inoculation and developing life skills and social
skills.
Alternatives approaches: providing drug-free activities and
developing personal competence.
Principles of School-based
Drug and Alcohol Education
Best taught in the context of the curriculum.
Should be conducted by the teacher of the health curriculum.
Programmes should have sequence, progression and
continuity over time throughout schooling.
Messages across the school environment should be
consistent and coherent.
Programmes and resources should be selected to
complement the role of the classroom teacher, with selected
external resources enhancing, not replacing that role.
Principles of School-based
Drug and Alcohol Education
Should address the values, attitudes and behaviours of the
community and the individual.
Needs to be based on research, effective curriculum practice
and identified student needs.
Objectives should be linked with the overall goal of harm
minimisation.
Education strategies should be related directly to the
achievement of the programme objectives.
The emphasis should be on drug use likely to occur in the
target group, and drug use which causes the most harm.
Principles of School-based
Drug and Alcohol Education
Should reflect an understanding of the characteristics of the
individual, the social context, the drug and the interrelationship of
these factors.
Should respond to developmental, gender, cultural, language,
socio-economic and lifestyle differences relevant to the level of
student use.
Need to involve students, parents and the wider community in the
school drug education programme at both planning and
implementation stages.
Objectives, processes and outcomes should be evaluated.
Selection of programmes, activities and resources should contribute
to long term positive outcomes in the curriculum and school.
Alcohol Education:
General Community
(print and mass media)
www.alcoholinfo.nsw.gov.au
www.aerf.com.au
www.adca.org.au
www.alcohol.gov.au
www.nhmrc.gov.au
ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au
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Has Alcohol
Education Worked?
Reaching a Tipping Point
Tipping point
Level of Harm
Community Sentiment
Years
Reaching a Tipping Point
Tipping point
X
Tobacco
Years
Reaching a Tipping Point
Tipping point
X
Tobacco
X
Alcohol
Years