Unintended impacts of alcohol restrictions on alcohol and other drug use in Indigenous communities in Queensland (Australia)
Robertson, Jan A, Fitts, Michelle S., and Clough, Alan R. (2017) Unintended impacts of alcohol restrictions on alcohol and other drug use in Indigenous communities in Queensland (Australia). International Journal of Drug Policy, 41. pp. 34-40.
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Abstract
Background: 'Alcohol Management Plans' (AMPs) with a focus on alcohol restrictions were implemented in 19 discrete Indigenous communities, in 15 Local Government Areas, by the Queensland Government from 2002. Community residents' perceptions and experiences of the impacts of AMPs on local alcohol and drug use are documented.
Methods: A cross-sectional study used quantitative and qualitative survey data collected during 2014–2015 in 10 affected communities. Five had some alcohol available. Five had total prohibition. Participant responses were assessed and compared by prohibition status.
Results: Overall, less than 50% of 1098 participants agreed that: i) the restrictions had reduced alcohol availability in their community and ii) that people were drinking less. Nearly three quarters agreed that binge-drinking had increased, attributed to increased availability of illicit alcohol. There were no statistically significant differences between communities with prohibition and those with some access to alcohol. Participants agreed overall that cannabis use had increased but were more equivocal that new drugs were being used. These views were less frequently reported in prohibition communities.
Conclusions: Contrary to what was intended, Queensland's alcohol restrictions in Indigenous communities were viewed by community residents as not significantly reducing the availability and use of alcohol. Furthermore, this was compounded by perceived increases in binge drinking and cannabis use; also unintended. There is a need to strengthen resolve at all levels to reduce the supply of illicit alcohol in restricted areas.
| Item ID: | 46916 |
|---|---|
| Item Type: | Article (Research - C1) |
| ISSN: | 1873-4758 |
| Keywords: | alcohol restrictions; Indigenous; Australian; drug and alcohol use |
| Additional Information: | This article is published under Creative Commons: Attribution-non-commercial-no-derivatives 4.0 Internatinal. (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) |
| Funders: | National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (NHMRC), Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute (APHCRI) |
| Projects and Grants: | NHMRC Project Grant #APP1042532, NHMRC Career Development Award #APP1046773 |
| Date Deposited: | 23 Jan 2017 03:21 |
| FoR Codes: | 45 INDIGENOUS STUDIES > 4504 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing > 450417 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander public health and wellbeing @ 50% 42 HEALTH SCIENCES > 4206 Public health > 420606 Social determinants of health @ 50% |
| SEO Codes: | 92 HEALTH > 9203 Indigenous Health > 920303 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health - Health System Performance (incl. Effectiveness of Interventions) @ 100% |
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