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Community Approaches for Reducing Alcohol-Related Harms: an Overview of Intervention Strategies, Efficacy, and Considerations for Future Research

  • Alcohol (M Farrell and E Stockings, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

The study aims to provide an overview of the supply- and demand-side strategies used in community approaches for reducing alcohol-related harms, summarise key findings, and identify areas for consideration in future research.

Recent Findings

Whole-of-community interventions to reduce alcohol-related harms have largely used active population-level demand-reduction strategies, such as public-health messages, community outreach, and school-based education. Supply-side strategies (such as reducing physical availability of alcohol) and strategies targeted at high-risk populations (such as screening and brief intervention) are underutilised. Some small reductions in alcohol consumption indicators have been identified; however, evaluation is often via self-report and outcome reporting is poor, making appraisal difficult.

Summary

Community approaches to reducing alcohol-related harm have largely relied upon active demand reduction strategies targeted at the whole population. A challenge for future research is to determine the optimal interaction between higher-level national responses—including changes in jurisdictional policies and legislative controls—and local-level action to maximise intervention reach and cost-effectiveness.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), UNSW Sydney, 22-32 King Street Randwick, Sydney, New South Wales, 2031, Australia

    Emily Stockings, Anthony Shakeshaft & Michael Farrell

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  1. Emily Stockings
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Correspondence to Emily Stockings.

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Stockings, E., Shakeshaft, A. & Farrell, M. Community Approaches for Reducing Alcohol-Related Harms: an Overview of Intervention Strategies, Efficacy, and Considerations for Future Research. Curr Addict Rep 5, 274–286 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-018-0210-2

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