The Range and Magnitude of Alcohol’s Harm to Others (Harm to Others) study aims to measure and describe the impact of alcohol misuse on people other than the drinker. The study involved a telephone survey of respondents, first conducted in 2008, and a follow-up survey in 2011. Researchers also looked at the role of alcohol in deaths, hospital admissions, child abuse cases and other health and social problems.
The study is being undertaken by a group of researchers from Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre, Eastern Health in collaboration with colleagues from other institutions in Australia. The study is led by Dr Anne-Marie Laslett.
The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education funded the work, and the project has ethics approval from the Eastern Health Research and Ethics Committee (nos. E119/0809l; E120/0809; E16/1112).
The Harm to Others baseline survey was conducted in December 2008, with 2,649 Australians aged 18 years and older. The survey sample was generally representative of the national population.
The survey included detailed questions about the drinking habits of the respondent’s household and family members, friends, and work colleagues. The survey also asked questions about the respondent’s experiences of being affected by other people’s drinking in public spaces, including strangers.
Results from the 2008 survey have been published in a report. Download a summary of the survey’s main findings.
The objective of the follow-up survey is to look at the number and types of harms respondents have experienced in the last 12 months because of someone else’s drinking, compared to harms they reported experiencing in 2008. As in the 2008 survey, the project’s central focus is the relationship between the respondent and people who they consider to be heavy drinkers, and whether the heavy drinker has negatively affected the respondent in some way.
A Melbourne-based company that specialises in telephone interviewing, the Social Research Centre (SRC) is conducting the interviews on behalf of Turning Point. The interviews will begin in late October 2011. More information about the Social Research Centre can be found here.
Individuals participating in this project will be contributing to a better understanding of the role that alcohol plays in Australian society.
Approximately 2,300 Australians participated in the Harm to Others survey in 2008 and agreed to be re-contacted for future studies. Those who agreed to be re-contacted will be sent a letter and/or telephoned and invited to take-part in the ‘Harm to Others’ follow-up survey.
Like the 2008 survey, participation will involve taking part in a computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI), approximately 20 minutes in length.
Some of the questions are of a personal nature. You have the right to cease participating in the survey at any time, and can refuse to answer any questions you do not feel comfortable with.
Answers to the survey are confidential. Survey answers will be entered and kept in a secure, password protected file, separate from your name (and contact details).
Results from the survey will be presented only in anonymous, group form.
A final report will be delivered to FARE in early 2013. After this time, a summary of findings will be available on www.fare.org.au.
If you want further information or if you have any problems concerning this project, you can contact Anne-Marie Laslett, the Director of the project, on freecall 1800 001 902 or at anne-marie.laslett@turningpoint.org.au.
For more information about the project and what participating in the surveys involves please click here.
If you have any complaints about any aspect of the project, the way it is being conducted or any questions about your rights as a research participant, then you may contact the Chair Person, Eastern Health Research and Ethics on 03 9895 3398.
If you would like to speak to someone about alcohol-related issues you can call DirectLine on 1800 888 236. DirectLine provides 24-hour, 7-day counselling, information and referral.
For more information about DirectLine visit: www.health.vic.gov.au/aod/directline.htm
Counselling online: If you would like to receive support and information on-line about alcohol or drug-related issues please go to www.counsellingonline.org.au.
