Patterns of harmful alcohol use
The harmful use of alcohol among aboriginal Australians is alarming as they experience significant health and social issues associated with alcohol misuse (Cox & Reser, 1997). The introduction of alcohol and its consumption among aboriginal Australians is relatively recent compared to western societies as a result of Australia’s colonisation in 1788 (Cairney, Clough, Jaragba, & Maruff, 2007). Unlike alcohol consumption being established as socially and culturally accepted like in western societies, its consumption among aborigines is consequential as there are misunderstandings surrounding its acceptability and its impact of use (Martin & Brady, 2004).
According to Gray et al. (2014) when compared with non-aboriginal groups, the patterns of consuming alcohol have been reported among Aboriginal groups as harmful and risky. This is because for the past two decades their level of harmful alcohol use has been at least twice the amount of non-Aboriginal Australians. The harmful pattern of alcohol use is evident in aboriginal mortality, as according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2008), 7% of aboriginal Australians deaths are a consequence of harmful alcohol use or alcohol induced conditions. …show more content…
For example, Perkins et al. (1994) administered an alcohol questionnaire on aborigine participants from urban aboriginal communities, which were current alcohol drinkers, to investigate the pattern of alcohol use in an aboriginal sample. The results concluded that 75% of males and 86% of females, who were current alcohol drinkers, were classified as binge drinkers. These results are alarming as binge drinking was identified as drinking 100 grams of more for males, and 60 grams or more for
The harmful use of alcohol among aboriginal Australians is alarming as they experience significant health and social issues associated with alcohol misuse (Cox & Reser, 1997). The introduction of alcohol and its consumption among aboriginal Australians is relatively recent compared to western societies as a result of Australia’s colonisation in 1788 (Cairney, Clough, Jaragba, & Maruff, 2007). Unlike alcohol consumption being established as socially and culturally accepted like in western societies, its consumption among aborigines is consequential as there are misunderstandings surrounding its acceptability and its impact of use (Martin & Brady, 2004).
According to Gray et al. (2014) when compared with non-aboriginal groups, the patterns of consuming alcohol have been reported among Aboriginal groups as harmful and risky. This is because for the past two decades their level of harmful alcohol use has been at least twice the amount of non-Aboriginal Australians. The harmful pattern of alcohol use is evident in aboriginal mortality, as according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2008), 7% of aboriginal Australians deaths are a consequence of harmful alcohol use or alcohol induced conditions. …show more content…
For example, Perkins et al. (1994) administered an alcohol questionnaire on aborigine participants from urban aboriginal communities, which were current alcohol drinkers, to investigate the pattern of alcohol use in an aboriginal sample. The results concluded that 75% of males and 86% of females, who were current alcohol drinkers, were classified as binge drinkers. These results are alarming as binge drinking was identified as drinking 100 grams of more for males, and 60 grams or more for