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The power of parents: co-designing health communications to reduce adolescent drinking

Background

Alcohol is the leading individual risk factor for death and disability in 15-24 year olds globally. Inadvertently, parents are playing a key role in this burden as the most common source of alcohol for Australian adolescents who drink. Our research has found that parents are often supplying alcohol with the mistaken belief that it is a safe way to teach ‘responsible drinking’, but evidence shows that parental supply increases risk of adolescent risky drinking, including earlier alcohol initiation and higher levels of later alcohol use and harms. The good news is that parents can be a key part of the solution, if they are provided with clear communication.

About the project

Thanks to funding from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRF2031308), we have an opportunity to reduce adolescent drinking and associated harms by working with parents and adolescents to co-design health communications that empower parents to support their adolescents in making healthy choices regarding alcohol. The project comprises four linked studies:

Power of parents.jpg

We will work with project partners to share study findings and resources with policymakers, to schools and via other dissemination channels to reach parents.

Project staff

  • Prof Jacqueline Bowden, Director, NCETA
  • Dr Ashlea Bartram, Senior Research Fellow, NCETA 
  • Ms Christina Norris, Research Officer, NCETA

 

Chief Investigators

  • Prof Jacqueline Bowden, Flinders University
  • Prof Svetlana Bogomolova, Flinders University
  • Dr Ashlea Bartram, Flinders University
  • Prof Jonathan Karnon, Flinders University
  • Dr Emily Brennan, Cancer Council Victoria
  • Assoc Prof Shahid Ullah, Flinders University
  • Dr Rebecca Jenkinson, Australian Institute of Family Studies
  • Prof Robin Room, La Trobe University
  • Dr Krista Monkhouse, Hunter New England Local Health District
  • Prof Steve Allsop, Curtin University
  • Ms Saran Chamberlain, Lead Parent Consumer
  • Ms Emma Portolesi, Lead Adolescent Consumer
  • Prof Billie Bonevski, Flinders University
  • Ms Julia Stafford, Cancer Council WA

 

Associate Investigators

  • Prof Daniel Lubman, Monash University
  • Ms Marina Bowshall, SA Health
  • Ms Tahnee McCausland, Mental Health Commission WA
  • Mr Harry Manatakis, Department for Education, SA
  • Prof Leanne Hides, University of Queensland
  • Mr Nathan Harrison, Flinders University
  • Prof Sarah Durkin, Cancer Council Victoria
  • Prof Simone Pettigrew, The George Institute for Global Health
  • Prof Phillip Slee, Flinders University
  • Prof Caroline Miller, SAHMRI
  • Dr Cassandra Wright, Menzies School of Health Research
  • Dr Nina Pocuca, University of Queensland

 

Partner Organisations

 

Communications Development

  • Preventive Health SA
  • Mental Health Commission WA
  • Alcohol and Drug Foundation
  • Foundation for Alcohol Research and Excellence
  • Jackson Pearse Policy and Communications