Diverging trends in alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm in Victoria.
OBJECTIVE
To examine recent trends in alcohol-related harm and risky drinking in Victoria, Australia.


METHODS
The study compiled eight measures of alcohol-related harm from published and unpublished sources, covering data relating to health, crime, alcohol treatment and traffic crashes for the financial years 1999/2000 to 2007/08. In addition, published estimates of short and long-term risky drinking from three-sets of surveys between 2001 and 2007 were examined.


RESULTS
Six of the eight harm indicators substantially increased, while only alcohol-related mortality and single-vehicle night-time crashes remained relatively stable. In particular, rates of emergency presentations for intoxication and alcohol-related ambulance attendances increased dramatically. Contrastingly, survey-derived estimates of the rate of risky-drinking among Victorians were stable over the time-period examined.


CONCLUSIONS
Evidence across the data examined suggests significant increases in alcohol-related harm taking place during a period of relatively stable alcohol consumption levels. This disparity may be accounted for by changing drinking patterns among small, high-risk, subgroups of the population.


CONCLUSIONS
The sharply increasing rates of alcohol-related harm among Victorians suggest that changes to alcohol policies focusing on improving public health are necessary.
Livingston
Michael
M
Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre and School of Population Health, University of Melbourne, Victoria. michaell@turningpoint.org.au
Matthews
Sharon
S
Barratt
Monica J
MJ
Lloyd
Belinda
B
Room
Robin
R
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000639:trends; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012737:Sex Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence