Australian Aborigines and alcohol: a review

The aim of this study was to document the frequency of the management of illicit drug, alcohol and tobacco problems in general practice in Australia. Data from the Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health (BEACH) study of general practice, April 1998 to March 2003, were analysed. BEACH is an ongoing national study of general practice in Australia. Each year a random sample of approximately 1000 general practitioners (GPs) participate, each providing details of 100 patient encounters. Samples are drawn from the Medicare data held by the Health Insurance Commission. Patient demographic breakdowns, medication, other treatment, referrals and other medical procedures ordered were examined for all problems labelled by GPs as illicit, alcohol and tobacco problems. Annually in Australia, it was estimated that 615,000 GP encounters--or 0.6% of all encounters--involved the management of illicit drug use problems presumably most commonly for problematic heroin use. Despite a much higher population prevalence of use and use disorders, the management of alcohol or tobacco use problems was less common, with 0.4% and 0.3% of encounters, respectively, comprising treatment of these problems. Clear demographic differences existed across the groups. The management of problems also differed, with illicit drug use problems more likely to involve provision of medication, and alcohol and tobacco treatment more likely to involve counselling and/or health advice. Despite higher rates of alcohol and tobacco use problems among patients seeing GPs in Australia, the rate of treatment for such problems was relatively lower than it was for illicit drug use problems. More efforts need to be directed towards assisting GPs to identify and target problematic alcohol and tobacco use among their patients.

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

The management of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug use problems by general practitioners in Australia

Degenhardt

Knox

Barker

et al. 2005

“…On the other hand, indigenous Australian adolescents do appear to be more likely to have drug-use problems than non-indigenous Australian adolescents. While a higher percentage of indigenous Australians abstain from drug use than non-indigenous Australians, those who do drink are more likely to drink excessively [103]. Furthermore, volatile drug abuse (particularly petrol-sniffing) among indigenous Australian adolescents has been a major issue of concern in many indigenous Australian communities [106].…”

Section: Ethnicitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Causes and correlates of adolescent drug abuse and implications for treatment

Spooner

1999

101

On the basis of the literature, the following risk factors for drug abuse by adolescents were identified: biological predisposition to drug abuse; personality traits that reflect a lack of social bonding; a history of low quality and consistency of family management, family communication, family relationships and parental role‐modelling, a history of being abused or neglected; low socio‐economic status; emotional or psychiatric problems; significant stressors and/or inadequate coping skills and social supports; inadequate social skills; history of associating with drug‐using peers, rejection by prosocial peers due to poor social skills; a history of low commitment to education, failure at school; a history of anti‐social behaviour and delinquency and early initiation to drug use. Models for conceptualizing the aetiology of drug abuse are discussed, namely Jessor's problem behaviour syndrome and Rhodes & Jason's Social Stress Model. It is clear that the path to drug abuse is complex, so simple solutions to the problem are unlikely to be effective. [Spooner C. Causes and correlates of adolescent drug abuse and implications for treatment. Drug Alcohol Rev 1999;18:453–475]

“…A greater proportion of Maori and Aboriginal people are abstainers or drink less than the pakeba or white population in New Zealand and in Australia but, in common with other colonized peoples, are disproportionately represented in alcohol-related morbidity and mortality statistics [51,521]. Low socio-economic status, racism and cultural dispossession are cited as reasons for heavy consumption, particularly among young people [2,51,52]. Prevention efforts to resolve the problems are regarded in both countries as needing to be both better resourced and culturally viable to succeed [53][54][55].…”

Section: Maofi and Aboriginal Prevention Initiatives To Reduce Alcohomentioning

confidence: 99%

Approaches to preventing alcohol‐related problems: the experience of New Zealand and Australia

Stewart¹

1997

New Zealand and Australia have experienced similarities in their drinking cultures and patterns since colonization. This paper briefly reviews those experiences and looks at the approaches both countries have taken in dealing with alcohol-related problems. Over 10 years ago Australia developed a national strategy embracing a harm reduction approach and more recently New Zealand embarked upon a similar process. As well as examining the development of these, other initiatives are examined. These include approaches to licensing of alcohol sales, taxation, alcohol promotion, control of drinking on licensed premises, drinking and driving intervention, community action, initiatives by Maori and Aboriginal people and efforts to educate the individual drinker.