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 DEN Researcher Cathy Craw
The Drug Education Network Inc. (DEN) says the ‘Knowing the Score’ study should provide valuable knowledge to support government, health authorities and sporting organisations to better manage alcohol and drug problems in community sports participants. The study was conducted from February to September 2009 and involved 31 Tasmanian sporting clubs covering seven sports and more than 700 participants and club representatives. The sports were AFL football, basketball, bowls, golf, hockey, netball and soccer. DEN Research Officer Cathy Craw tells David Wood the study found that along with alcohol, illicit drug use including misuse of prescription medication was a serious concern, with drug use, including unsafe levels of alcohol use cutting across all sports, age groups and genders. The DEN is funded by the Department of Health and Human Services and is committed to working with communities, schools and families on drug education and harm reduction initiatives. It provides education resources, information, advice and referral services, training, consultancy services and ongoing support programs. ‘Knowing the Score’ was a scoping study, conducted by the DEN for Sport and Recreation Tasmania, on the prevalence, patterns, and attitudes of drug and alcohol use in Tasmanian community sporting clubs. Cathy Craw says the study addressed the long-held need for such research. It is the first study on alcohol use specific to Tasmanian community sporting clubs, and is believed to be the first in the world to include illicit drug use in the research. “ The study found that of the sports sampled, AFL respondents (at 34 percent) reported the highest levels of alcohol consumption per visit, consuming 10 or more standard drinks on each occasion, while newly released National Guidelines recommends no more than four standard drinks on any one occasion.” “ However, it was bowls members who drank the most frequently at their clubs with 33 percent drinking there four or more days a week. “36 percent of sporting club members consumed alcohol at levels placing them at increased risk of alcohol-related injury on each occasion they drank at their club or with other club members. “A large proportion were found to be drinking at levels that placed them at risk of alcohol related illnesses. “When it comes to illicit drugs, including prescription drugs used for non-medical purposes, pain killers and analgesics were the most commonly used, reported by 17 percent of participants, followed closely by cannabis use reported by 16 percent.” Ms Craw saysd the DEN welcomed the opportunity to provide evidence-based data to inform and guide Sport and Recreation Tasmania in addressing drug and alcohol issues in the community sports arena. The relationship between alcohol consumption and sport in Australian society is long standing and tightly woven on many levels and DEN had long been an advocate of programs addressing any negative issues that arose from this connection. “However, it is important programs introduced as a result of this study’s findings recognise and cover issues relating to illicit drug use and not focus solely on alcohol. A full copy of the ‘Knowing the Score’ report and its evaluation is available on the Drug Education Network website www.den.org.au. |
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