Public Health - Alcohol Consumption - Epidemiological Data - Report Writing Assessment Answer

Public Health Report Writing Assignment

Assignment Task

Prepare a written report for the state Director of Public Health that outlines strategic public health approaches that could be developed to respond to the health problem of alcohol in the Northern Territory, Australia. You are encouraged to source data from Northern Territory, national and international bodies.

The report should outline:

• What the public health issues are that contribute to the chosen health problem
• The priorities for public health action that need to be addressed in the strategic plan
• The proposed approach to developing the strategic plan.

Alcohol consumption as a public health problem in Northern Territory

Introduction

The Northern Territory of Australia is one of the areas worst hit with alcoholism among other public health issues. The Australian Aboriginal, as well as Indigenous people, find addiction a major threat to their public health. Of specific concern is alcohol-related violence among these people. The aim of this paper is to give a detailed report about the state of public health in the Northern Territory. It also seeks to explain the common public health issues and their contributing factors. It will also highlight the areas that the strategy should address with the highest priority and finally outline a strategy that might help fight or minimize alcoholism in the Northern Territory. Alcohol

Three public health issues contributing to alcohol use as a public health problem

According to (2), research data link three issues as the regular contributors to this public health issue. Epidemiological data show that violence, trauma, and abuse of alcohol are the three most important public health issues contributing to alcoholism in the Australian Northern Territory. The three public health epidemics tend to intersect among the indigenous residents of the Northern Territory. These three topics pose as risk factors that explain the reason behind heavy drinking in the region. There are high rates of domestic violence and assault incidences that indicate a higher correlation with high risk of alcohol consumption as compared to accidents and unplanned injuries. The heavy use of alcohol among the indigenous residents closely links to the rates of violence and assault as well as physical damage in the region.

Statistics and evidence from research and international bodies

Risky drinking results to more than 2.5 million deaths annually. This hazardous drinking causes a problem not only for the people who drink but also to their families and the society as it threatens public health. In 2004, for instance, (2) notes that WHO ranked alcohol abuse disorders as the 17th risk factor leading to 4 to 6 percent of disease burden and injuries in the world. For instance, a binge drinking individual puts other people at the risk of traffic-related accidents, violent behaviors or other effects on family, workmates, strangers and friends. Using alcohol in such a harmful way leads to injuries, accidents, violence, crime and other medical conditions. It also leads to economic strain into the society and the healthcare sector in particular. In Australia, (2) adds, alcohol is part of social life, and the young generation consumes it in private rooms. The fact that the Northern Territory does not have legal minimum drinking age makes the issues harder to solve. The Australians experience more severe effects of drinking from strangers at around 10 million. The harmful use of alcohol among these people contributes to 62 % police attendance, as well as 73 % assaults, 77, 40 and 90% of street crimes, domestic violence, and late-night calls respectively (3) Risky drinking is common in the remote communities and the Northern Australia among the indigenous people. Similarly, conflicts among the foreign peoples from the Northern Territory increases the risk of physical abuse and violence. There are higher rates of homicides and violence attributed to alcoholism among these people.

The Northern Territory

Australia’s Northern Territory is a federal state with a larger proportion of Indigenous people compared to any other country. The residents of Northern Territory often face massive adverse impacts of harmful alcohol consumption. For this reason, there is a strong link between the three public health issues of violence, trauma, and misuse of alcohol among the residents. (2) conducted a study to ascertain the relationship between these three topics known to be the highest contributors of alcoholism in the Northern Territory. The results of the research indicated the need to understand the three risk factors and how controlling them can result in a better strategy. Avoiding aggressive attitudes and violence in the society depends on the level of understanding of these factors as well as the connecting processes. Alcohol consumption per capita in Northern Territory is approximately 15.1 liters each year in Northern Territory for the people above fourteen years, (3). This estimate is one and a half times higher than the average given for the whole of Australia, which is 19 years. The rate of episodic alcohol consumption in Northern Territory was 49.2 among the adult Indigenous persons, standing at 63.5 % and 14.8 % for the men and women respectively in 2008. More of the native population in the urban areas engaged in more hazardous drinking compared to remote areas in Australia, which was 10.4 % (1). Darwin is the Northern Territory’s capital city and considered by the residents as the ‘capital of alcoholism.' The reason is that alcohol sale and use is higher in the town with year round tourist visits. People visit the Northern Territory to view the tropical forests and experience the exciting weather patterns.

Residents of remote areas have to travel to Darwin to get health care services and facilities. The culture of the indigenous people in the Northern Territory embraces sharing. It is, therefore, common for families to stay together in large urban houses. This circumstance of crowded homes becomes an avenue for domestic abuse and violence. There are high rates of unemployment among the indigenous people because of their inability to participate in the labor market, diseases, alcohol-related issues and reduced market opportunities. These risk factors contribute to the public health problem of alcoholism.

Priorities for public health action

About violence

Understanding the effects of alcoholism on the people in the Northern Territory will go a long way in setting priorities to solve them. The first public health issue that needs action is violence. Domestic violence is common incidences among the indigenous people in the Northern Territory. Alcohol-related violence is also common in private residential homes as well as licensed public places such as hotels and clubs. The people living in Northern Territory need a strategic plan that addresses this issue, explains (3). They need laws to protect the victims and prosecute the perpetrators. Again, more women than men suffer from the effects of domestic violence. They experience it from their close relatives like husbands. It is common among the poor communities. The government needs to work with the women, empowering them and listening to their grievances. They also need to consider education for the women because most of those who face violence are illiterate and poor. These two facts increase the risk of them getting abused by the male. Indigenous children face a lot of violence from the overcrowded homes they live. Since the overcrowding of homes fuels alcoholism, crime, and violence, children and women severely feel the effects of family fights. Sometimes they may not be direct victims of the crime, but they suffer the most when conflicts erupt.

Children living in the remote areas of the Northern Territory easily have their wellbeing and education interrupted by visitors and family members who are into alcoholism hence affecting how the children grow up. Some of the children opt to leave their homes ending up as irresponsible youths. It further fuels crime and abuse in the whole area. The strategy should also cater for the social needs of such children, ensuring that they continue their education despite the conditions in their homes. The government should also play the role of creating awareness and implementing laws that cover these indigenous children. The police department has a role in promoting the public health of Northern Territory residents. Better housing facilities will also ensure that there is no overcrowding of relatives in one home. This way, parents will quickly observe their children ensure that they grow up morally and do not suffer the effects of alcohol abuse of their relatives. Social decay will continue to surface in the Northern Territory if authorities do not take necessary actions in putting an end to alcohol-related violence.

Assault and trauma contributing to alcoholism

Alcoholism has a replicating cycle when it comes to injury and assault. This cycle means that alcoholism leads to trauma from assaults and violence and the violence also leads to alcoholism. Alcohol has one of the highest contributions to the burden of diseases and illnesses globally. In particular, alcoholism accounts for 3.8 % deaths and 4.6 % disabilities. With this regard, (3) adds that it also leads to 250 deaths as well as 11,000 hospitalization cases among young adults aged between n 15 and 24. 32 % is the only proportion of Indigenous people in the Northern Territory. 60 % of facial injuries and fractures are as a result of alcohol consumption. Further, 89 % of these injuries are caused by interpersonal violence. It shows the need for the government and the society at large to work towards a strategy that fights drunkenness in the region. The strategy should impose severe punishment on perpetrators as well as offer support to victims so that the effects do not lead to trauma and depression. The public health problems in the Northern Territory related to trauma relate to alcoholisms. When close individuals engage in harmful and risk consumption of alcohol, they expose their close loved ones to risks, especially in the crowded homes. An assault done by a close relative, either parent or spouse is harder to forget as compared to one done by an outsider. Therefore, every family member should act responsibly ensuring that they protect the rights to the happiness of their loved ones. The men, for instance, should regulate their alcohol intake because it affects their wives and children. It 's hard to control one while drunk. This lack of control explains why most of the assaults occur when individuals are under the influence. Any negative move creates fear and trauma among the affected. A strategy that seeks to regulate the amount of alcohol that a person should take in one seating will help reduce alcohol-related trauma from the physical assault. It is also, therefore a matter that requires priority. Every member of the society should understand their role in fighting alcoholism as an issue of public health, as well as every other factor that contributes to it.

Proposed approach

Heavy drinking has severe effects on the communities living in Northern Territory (1). They cause economic, physical and social damages in the society. It is a public health problem that the people can prevent by changing their patterns of drinking. The nature of evidence about the effects of alcoholism in Northern Territory makes it difficult to come up with an exact strategy of fighting the public health issue and its contributing factors. However, there are several approaches that when applied together can solve the menace. One of these approaches is face-to-face conversations that focus on minimizing the reasons people turn into alcoholism. The approach can be a public health official and a selected target group such as the youths. The public health officer sensitizes the young people about the dangers of drinking, why they should not engage in drinking and how to solve their problems without alcohol. One-on-one sessions are also important in making follow-ups for the affected persons.

The government should empower institutions that work with the community to help fight alcoholisms and contributing public health issues. Community-based meetings and public speaking are also approaches that reach a wider range of people. The plan aims at achieving a particular region and the authorities in question should ensure that they understand the issues, like effects and causes of drinking of the target area. Another approach, cited by (1), is hospital-based that involves the public health professionals with related training. They seek to help affected families, ensuring that the addict finds similar support to help them quit drinking. Cultural interventions will also prevent various economic and social issues related to harmful alcohol consumption in Northern territory.

Conclusion

The Northern Territory has a problem with alcoholism as this paper explains. It is upon the authorities to work with the society ensuring that the public health issue of alcoholism, as well as underlying issues, reduces. Everyone in the Northern Territory has a role to play in solving this public health issue.