Chen, Jerry

Zhang, Xiaohua

Draper, Anthony

Kaur, Guddu

Field, Emma

Boffa, John

Liddle, Leanne

Burgess, Paul

Wright, Alyson

2024-12-10

The Northern Territory (NT) of Australia has the highest rates of alcohol consumption and injury in the country. We aimed to: (i) describe the epidemiology of alcohol-related injury (ARI) hospitalisations in the NT; (ii) estimate the proportion of alcohol involvement in injury hospitalisations; and (iii) consider the influence of alcohol policies on ARI hospitalisation trends.We conducted a retrospective time-series study using coded hospitalisation data from NT public hospitals between 2007 and 2022. ARI hospitalisation was defined combining indicators for injury and acute alcohol use. We undertook descriptive analyses and calculated alcohol involvement against all injury hospitalisations. Annual percent changes (APC) were computed using joinpoint regression to examine the influence of alcohol policies on ARI hospitalisation trends by NT geographical regions (Central Australia and Top End).Alcohol use was associated with 22.6% of all injury hospitalisations. The most common cause of ARI hospitalisations was assault (46%). In Central Australia, a significant trend decline (APC -12.2; p = 0.011) was observed after 2017 following alcohol policies implemented between 2017 and 2018 (Banned Drinkers Register v2; Minimum Unit Price; and Police Auxiliary Liquor Inspectors). Consecutive years with the greatest decrease in Central Australia were 2013-2014 (APC -25.8) and 2018-2019 (APC -35.1); likely influenced by alcohol policies in effect at the time. In the Top End, a non-significant trend decline (APC -26.1; p = 0.186) was observed after 2020.Alcohol policies implemented between 2017 and 2018 were associated with reduced ARI hospitalisations in Central Australia. Alcohol policies that demonstrated reduced harm should be sustained.

Health Statistics and Informatics, Northern Territory Department of Health, Darwin, Australia.

Centre for Disease Control, Northern Territory Department of Health, Darwin, Australia.

National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.

Health Statistics and Informatics, Northern Territory Department of Health, Darwin, Australia.

Centre for Disease Control, Northern Territory Department of Health, Darwin, Australia.

National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.

Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia.

National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.

National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.

Central Australian Aboriginal Congress, Alice Springs, Australia.

First Nations Health Policy, Northern Territory Department of Health, Darwin, Australia.

Northern Territory Police, Fire & Emergency Services, Darwin, Australia.

Health Statistics and Informatics, Northern Territory Department of Health, Darwin, Australia.

Health Statistics and Informatics, Northern Territory Department of Health, Darwin, Australia.

Chen, J. L. J., Zhang, X., Draper, A. D. K., Kaur, G., Field, E., Boffa, J., Liddle, L. M., Burgess, P., & Wright, A. (2024). Alcohol-related injury hospitalisations in relation to alcohol policy changes, Northern Territory, Australia, 2007-2022: A joinpoint regression analysis. Drug and alcohol review, 10.1111/dar.13976. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/dar.13976

1465-3362

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39656527/?otool=iaurydwlib

https://hdl.handle.net/10137/13877

Northern Territory

alcohol

alcohol‐related injury

hospitalisation

policy

Alcohol-related injury hospitalisations in relation to alcohol policy changes, Northern Territory, Australia, 2007-2022: A joinpoint regression analysis.

Journal Article

Publication