Australian Youth and Alcohol Consumption

Abstract

LCOHOL USE is a fact in Australian society and so are the alcohol-related problems that it creates. The economic and social costs involved — pressure on hospital and medical services, loss of productive man-hours, marriage breakdown — to name only some of the more obvious, are now widely recognised. Thus, there is the need for effective strategies for reducing the effects of alcohol misuse. This is a two-stage process. Firstly, make adequate provision for the kinds of facilities and services needed to deal with the end results of alcohol misuse. Secondly, try to reduce the level of alcohol misuse in the com munity. This approach involves the employment of preventive measures. As far as prevention is concerned, adolescence is one of the critical periods in the formu lation of attitudes and behaviour in relation to alcohol use. It seems appropriate that preventive approaches should concentrate on young people with the aim of creating a greater awareness of the implications of alcohol misuse, and of promoting concepts of moder ation in the use of alcohol. To plan educational programmes for this purpose, it was considered necess ary to obtain an up-to-date assessment of the nature and extent of student drinking and attitudes towards alcohol.

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