Trends in Australian Alcohol Consumption and Related Harms, 2010-2023.

INTRODUCTION

Alcohol consumption is a substantial contributor to Australia's total disease burden. Various studies have examined trends in specific measures of consumption or harm, but a comprehensive analysis of trends is needed to understand the changing impact of alcohol in Australia. The current study synthesised data across multiple national indicators to assess long-term trends in alcohol consumption and related harms.

METHODS

Publicly accessible data were compiled from 2010 to 2023 (or until the most recent year available) and categorised into the following: non-survey consumption measures (i.e., alcohol available for consumption and wastewater estimates); survey consumption measures (i.e., three nationally representative surveys); and alcohol-related harm measures (i.e., deaths, hospitalisations, ambulance attendances, injuries, random breath tests and alcohol treatment episodes). Data were analysed using joinpoint regression analysis to assess trends and quantify annual percentage change.

RESULTS

Survey and wastewater measures of alcohol consumption generally declined from 2010 onwards, while per-capita consumption as measured via tax and import data slightly increased. Rates of most alcohol-related harms increased substantially over the same period.

DISCUSSION AND

CONCLUSIONS

Alcohol-related harms in Australia have generally increased over the past 15 years. This trend, alongside declines in survey-measures of consumption and relative stability in tax-based estimates of per-capita consumption raises potential concerns about the ongoing validity of population surveys as tools to measure consumption trends. Increasing harms also point to the urgent need for evidence-based interventions in Australian alcohol policy.