Factors Associated with Alcohol-Related Injuries for Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal Australians: An Observational Study

Mieke Snijder, Bianca Calabria, Timothy Dobbins and Anthony Shakeshaft
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Mieke Snijder: The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, the University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia
Bianca Calabria: National Centre of Epidemiology and Public Health, Australian National University, Canberra 2601, Australia
Timothy Dobbins: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2034, Australia
Anthony Shakeshaft: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2034, Australia

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 2, 1-11

Abstract: Alcohol use and related injuries are a leading risk factor for deaths and disabilities in Australia, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. An improved understanding of individual and geographical community characteristics that are significantly associated with higher rates of alcohol-related injuries for specific populations can contribute to more effective efforts aimed at reducing alcohol-related injuries. For Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians in New South Wales, this study used emergency department (ED) data to investigate rates of alcohol-related injuries, whether differences in rates vary between communities, and individual and community characteristics significantly associated with alcohol-related injuries. Differences in rates of alcohol-related injuries between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people varied significantly between communities. Being younger than 38 years old was significantly associated with increased risk of alcohol-related injuries, independent of Aboriginal status and gender. Increased disadvantage of the geographical community inhabited was associated with increased alcohol-related injuries for males. For Aboriginal males, living in a regional community was significantly associated with increased alcohol-related injuries, compared to living in major cities. Conversely, for non-Aboriginal people, living in regional communities was significantly associated with fewer alcohol-related injuries. It is therefore likely that an explanation for between-community differences can be found in regional communities.

Keywords: alcohol-related harms; aboriginal; indigenous; community; epidemiology; emergency department (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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