In excess of 85% of South Australians aged over 14 [5] consume alcohol and over 85% of South Australian school students (aged 12-17) have tried alcohol. [6] Research has consistently shown that harmful alcohol consumption results in significant economic and social costs to South Australian communities. These costs impact everyone in some way.

In Australia:

• alcohol misuse costs the Australian community 15.3 billion dollars each year when factors such as crime and violence, treatment costs, loss of productivity and premature death were taken into account [1]
• 51% of alcohol consumed is drunk at levels that pose a risk of short-term harm [2]
• over 3 000 Australians die each year as a result of harmful drinking [3]
• over 450 000 children (13.2%) live in households where they are at risk of exposure to binge drinking by at least one adult [4]

The Australian Bureau of Statistics Alcohol Consumption in Australia: A Snapshot, 2004-05 reports that:

• One in eight adults (approximately 2 million people) drink at risky/high risk levels.
• The proportion of people drinking at risky/high risk levels has increased from 8.2% in 1995 to 13.4% in 2004-05.
• 15% of adult males and 12% of adult females drink at risky/high risk levels.
• The increase in those drinking at risky/high risk levels since 1995 has been greater for women than men. From the three National Health Surveys since 1995, the proportion of females who drank at risky/high risk levels increased from 6.2% to 11.7%, while for males the increase was from 10.3% to 15.2%, after adjusting for age differences.
• 25% of those aged 14-19 years drank alcohol on a daily or weekly basis in the last 12 months.

The 2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey - First Results, April 2008 reports that:

• Nine out of every ten Australians aged 14 years or older (89.9%) had tried alcohol at some time in their lives and 82.9% had consumed alcohol in the 12 months preceding the 2007 survey.
• The proportion of the population drinking daily fell significantly (from 8.9% to 8.1%) between 2004 and 2007 whereas the average age at which people had their first full serve of alcohol (17 years of age) remained stable.
• The proportion of teenagers drinking at least weekly was around 22%.
• One in 17 (5.7%) admitted to verbally abusing someone while under the influence of alcohol.
• One-quarter (25.4%) of Australians aged 14 years or older had been verbally abused and 4.5% had been physically abused by someone under the influence of alcohol.
• Alcohol was thought to be associated with a drug 'problem' by one in ten Australians (10.5%) aged 14 years or older, whereas 45.2% approved (and a further 33.8% did not oppose) the regular use of alcohol by adults.
• High-risk and risky drinkers were more likely than low-risk drinkers or abstainers to experience high or very high levels of psychological distress.
• At all ages, greater proportions of the population drank at risky or high-risk levels for short-term harm compared with risk for long-term harm.
• Overall, about one third (34.6%) of persons aged 14 years or older put themselves at risk or high risk of alcohol-related harm in the short term on at least one drinking occasion during the previous 12 months.
• Males aged 20-29 years (17.2%) were the most likely group to consume alcohol at risky or high-risk levels for short-term harm at least weekly.
• More than a quarter (26.3%) of 14-19-year-olds put themselves at risk of alcohol-related harm in the short term at least once a month during the previous 12 months; higher among females of this age (28.3%) than males (24.5%).

The following statistics present a picture of the harms related to harmful alcohol consumption experienced in South Australia in 2007:

• More than 466 000 South Australians aged over 14 years drank at harmful levels in the past 12 months.[5]
• Over 192 000 South Australians drink at harmful levels at least once a month.[5]
• Each week over 92,000 South Australians drink at harmful levels.[5]
• Approximately one-quarter of school students aged 12-17 consumed alcohol in the last week.[6]
• Over a quarter of students (27%) engaged in potentially harmful drinking behaviour in the last two weeks.[6]
• Each year 153 000 South Australians are threatened by people who have drunk too much.[7]
• Over 43 000 South Australians state that they have been physically abused by someone affected by alcohol in the past year.[7]
• More than 324 000 South Australians report that they have been verbally abused by someone affected by alcohol in the past year.[7]
• Over 33% of households with children in South Australia think it is acceptable for people to get drunk in public on certain occasions.[8]
• In 2004/05, over 6 750 hospitalisations in South Australia were attributable to alcohol. [9]
• In 2005, 280 deaths in South Australia were attributable to alcohol. [9]
• Almost 65% of all alcohol consumed in South Australia is consumed during risky or high risk drinking sessions.[10]

[1] Collins T & Lapsley H (2008) The cost of tobacco, alcohol and illicit drug abuse to Australian Society in 2004-2005 Summary Version, National Drug Strategy Monograph Series No. 66. Canberra: Commonwealth Department of Health & Ageing
[2] Heale P et al (2000) National Alcohol Indicators Bulletin No. 3: Patterns of alcohol consumption in Australia, 1998, National Drug Research Institute and Turning Point Alcohol & Drug Centre
[3] Chrikritzhs et al (1999) National Alcohol Indicators Bulletin No. 1: Alcohol-caused deaths and hospitalisations in Australia 1990-97, National Drug Research Institute and Turning Point Alcohol & Drug Centre
[4] Dawe et al (2007) ANCD Research Paper: Drug use in the family: impacts and implications for children. Australian National Council on Drugs
[5] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2008) 2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey: State and Territory Supplement. AIHW cat. no. PHE 102. Canberra: AIHW
[6] Drug and Alcohol Services South Australia (2006) Alcohol and other drug use among South Australian school students: Findings from the South Australian component of the 2005 Australian Secondary Students' Alcohol & Drug Survey
[7] Drug and Alcohol Services South Australia (unpublished) secondary analysis of 2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey South Australian dataset.
[8] 2008 South Australian Health Omnibus Survey
[9] Pascal, R., Chikritzhs, T. & Jones, P. (2009). Trends in estimated alcohol attributable deaths and hospitalisations in Australia, 1996-2005. National Alcohol Indicators, Bulletin No.12. Perth: National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University of Technology.

[10] Chikritzhs T et al (2003) Australian Alcohol Indicators 1990-2001: Patterns of alcohol use and related harms for Australian states and territories, National Drug Research Institute and Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre

Summary of recent drug use: proportion of the population
aged 14 years and over, South Australia, 1993-2007

(Source: NDS Household Survey Data, 1993-2007)

At least one drinking occasion in the past 12 months that was
risky or high risk for short-term harm, South Australia 2007.

(Source: NDS Household Survey Data, 2007)

Frequency of drinking at risky or high risk
for short-term harm: percentage of the population
aged 14 years and over, South Australia, 2001-2007

(Source: NDS Household Survey Data, 2007)

Alcohol-related deaths in South Australia

(Source: NDRI (2009) National Alcohol Indicators Bulletin 12)

Alcohol attributable hospitalisations in South Australia

(Source: NDRI (2009) National Alcohol Indicators Bulletin 12)

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