Alcohol & Drugs in Society

There are many factors which influence the consumption of alcohol and other drug (AOD) use in the Australian community. These factors influence:

• who uses
• what they use
• where they use
• how they use, and
• why they use alcohol and other drugs.

Traditionally, why people used alcohol and other drugs was answered by refering to a psycho-medical model of use. While this model of use is important in considering empirical and epidemiological patterns, it is insufficient when we consider that the consumption of alcohol and other drugs often takes place in a social context. As such, a socio-cultural perspective that examines the cultural drivers associated with alcohol and other drugs and their various patterns of consumption is important because it broadens our understanding of alcohol and other drug use by examining them in the context in which they occur.

NCETA is at the forefront of socio-cultural research into the behaviours and patterns associated with alcohol and other drug use. Knowledge gained from our examinations will be useful for informing the design and implementation of strategies to reduce the incidence of, and/or harm associated with, alcohol and other drug use and other risky behaviours.

Publication Highlights