Alcohol Action in Rural Communities (AARC)

NDARC Staff

Courtney Breen, Josh Byrnes, Anton Clifford, Suzanne Czech, Catherine Deans, Chris Doran, Alys Havard, Hector Navarro, Stephanie Love, Richard Mattick, Anthony Shakeshaft

Other Investigators

Rob Sanson-Fisher (University of Newcastle), Ann Roche (National Centre for Education on Training and Addiction, Flinders University), Catherine D’Este (University of Newcastle).

Aims

This project aims to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of a community action intervention strategy to reduce alcohol-related harm in rural communities in NSW. For more information on this project and access to resources for reducing alcohol-related harm in your community, please go to the AARC webpage.

Design and Method

The community action approach used in this study involves the systematic and coordinated implementation of a range of intervention strategies across whole communities. The simultaneous and sustained implementation of a number of complementary interventions aims to maximise their combined effect, even though the interventions themselves may be of variable effectiveness. This approach will be evaluated using a randomised controlled trial design. Ten matched pairs of rural communities were identified and one community in each pair was randomly allocated to the intervention condition, and the other to the control condition. Alcohol-related harm will be measured using alcohol-related problems (as measured by a community survey), alcohol-related criminal incidents, alcohol-related traffic accidents, alcohol-caused hospital admissions and alcohol-related emergency department presentations. This project will also undertake a cost-benefit economic analysis to determine whether the community action approach is associated with positive net social benefits.

Progress

Pre-test data continue to be analysed and written-up for publication. A number of interventions have occurred and are continuing: GP training in screening and brief intervention; web-based self-screening and advice; access to controlled drinking program by correspondence; high school interactive education session; self-screening and advice in chemists; workplace policies and practices; targeting weekends at high-risk of alcohol-related harm; feedback of results and alcohol harms through local media; program targeting young people at high-risk of alcohol harm; drink-driving campaigns; the Good Sports program; financial advice; parenting resources; and liquor accords. The post-test survey will be conducted in march 2010 and the final results analysed and written up by July 2010.

Output

There has been a range of outputs from this project. Published papers and reports include:

Havard A, Shakeshaft A, Sanson-Fisher R. (in press). Systematic review and meta-analyses of strategies targeting alcohol problems in emergency departments: interventions reduce alcohol-related injuries. Addiction.

Wood E, Shakeshaft A, Gilmour S, Sanson-Fisher R. A systematic review of school-based studies involving alcohol and the community, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 30, 2006.

Shakeshaft A. Alcohol Action in Rural Communities. ADCA News Issue 32, 2006.

Shakeshaft A. Alcohol Action in Rural Communities. Centrelines, July 2005.

Presentations on the results of the project include:

Havard A. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre seminar series, Sydney, 9 August 2007.

Shakeshaft A. Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing, Canberra, 1 August 2007

Wood E. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre seminar series, Sydney, 12 July 2007.

Shakeshaft A. Australian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs, Cairns, 5-8 November 2006.

Sanson-Fisher R. Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation National Conference, Sydney, 17-19 September 2006.

Shakeshaft A. Social Policy Research Centre, Sydney, 15 August 2006.

Shakeshaft A. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre Annual Symposium, Sydney, 20 July 2006.

Shakeshaft A. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre seminar series, Sydney, 20 April 2006.

Shakeshaft A. Australasian Liquor Regulators Conference, Darwin, 13-16 September 2005.

Shakeshaft A. National Centre for Education and Training on Addictions, Adelaide, 20 July 2005.

Sanson-Fisher R. NSW Cabinet Office, Premier’s Department, Sydney, 24 May 2004.

Funding

Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation (AERF)