ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS

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• ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS
• SUCCESSES, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
• Cheryl Wilson
• Alcohol and other Drugs Council of Australia

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Successes

• Expanded access to treatment
• Death from overdose
• Prevention Tobacco and Alcohol
• HIV/AIDS

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Number of people on pharmacotherapies for opioid
dependence 1986-2003
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Census of Drug Treatment Agencies

• Increase in the treated prevalence of alcohol and
  other drug problems among people 15 years and
  older.
• Between 2.5 and 3.6 per thousand in 1995
• Between 3.4 and 4.6 per thousand in 2001
• (Torres et.al 1995 and Shand and Mattick 2001)

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Rate of accidental deaths due to opioids per
million persons aged 15-54, 1988-2002Source
National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre
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Percentage of Males and Females who smoke 1945
2001Source Quit and NDS Household Survey
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Consumption of alcoholic beverages(in litres of
alcohol)
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Budget share of alcohol in total household
consumption expenditure
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Percentage of fatally injured drivers and
motorcycle riders nationally with a BAC of 0.05
or greater1981-1998Source Australian Transport
Safety Bureau Monograph 5
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HIV and Hepatitis C prevalence in needle and
syringe programs by year and sex Source
National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical
Research

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Challenges and Opportunities

• Blood Borne Virus
• AOD issues in Aboriginal and Torres Strait
  Islander communities

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• In 1995, 56 of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
  Islander males and 46 of females smoked,
  compared to 28 (males) and 24 (females) of non
  indigenous Australians
• While less Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
  peoples drink alcohol (74 vs. 79 or the non
  Indigenous community), those that do drink are
  more likely to do so at hazardous and harmful
  levels.
• 56 of males and 73 of females

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Challenges and Opportunities

• Blood Borne Virus
• AOD issues in Aboriginal and Torres Strait
  Islander communities
• Engaging the community on licit drug issues

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Percentage of population 14 years and over who
associate specific drugs with a drug
problemSource 2001 National Drug Strategy
Household Survey (AIHW 2002))
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Challenges and Opportunities

• Blood Borne Virus
• AOD issues in Aboriginal and Torres Strait
• Islander communities
• Engaging the community on licit drug issues
• Engaging with other sectors

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Challenges and Opportunities (Cont)

• Attracting and retaining a skilled AOD workforce
• Engaging with consumers and carers
• Governance

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Governance

• Be realistic about what can be delivered, to whom
  and by when
• Be prepared to say no, and to renegotiate
  deliverables if funding is reduced
• Give priority to planning, evaluation and staff
  development and supervision
• Read funding agreements thoroughly and be
  prepared to deliver on them
• If there is a problem, dont leave it until it
  reaches crisis point be proactive in working
  with your funding body to find solutions.

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• Thank you

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Diagnosis of HIV and AIDS in Australia Source
National Centre for HIV Surveillance
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Newly diagnosed HIV infection, 1994 2003, by
Indigenous status and yearSource National
Centre
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AIDS incidence, 1994 2003, by Indigenous
status and yearSource National Centre for