title: Dealing with Alcohol-related problems in the Night-Time Economy: A Study Protocol for Mapping trends in harm and stakeholder views surrounding local community level interventions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This project will provide a comprehensive investigation into the prevalence of alcohol-related harms and community attitudes in the context of community-based interventions being implemented to reduce harm in two regional centres of Australia. While considerable experimentation and innovation to address these harms has occurred in both Geelong and Newcastle, only limited ad-hoc documentation and analysis has been conducted on changes in the prevalence of harm as a consequence, leaving a considerable gap in terms of a systematic, evidence-based analysis of changes in harm over time and the need for further intervention. Similarly, little evidence has been reported regarding the views of key stakeholder groups, industry, government agencies, patrons or community regarding the need for, and the acceptability of, interventions to reduce harms. This project will aim to provide evidence regarding the impact and acceptability of local initiatives aimed at reducing alcohol-related harms.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study will gather existing police data (assault, property damage and drink driving offences), Emergency Department presentations and Ambulance attendance data. Further, the research team will conduct interviews with licensed venue patrons and collect observational data of licensed venues. Key informant interviews will assess expert knowledge from key industry and government stakeholders, and a community survey will assess community experiences and attitudes towards alcohol-related harm and harm-reduction strategies. Overall, the project will assess: the extent of alcohol-related harm in the context of harm-reduction interventions, and the need for and acceptability of further intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings will be used to improve evidence-based practice both nationally and internationally.
  This project has been approved by Deakin University HREC.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia. peter.miller@deakin.edu.au.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Darren
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Droste
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tindall
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gillham
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sonderlund
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McFarlane
authors.forename: Florentine
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: de Groot
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sawyer
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Groombridge
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lecathelinais
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wiggers