First Nations Australians' experiences of current alcohol policy in Central Australia: evidence of self-determination?

Annalee E Stearne; K S Kylie Lee; Steve Allsop; Anthony Shakeshaft; Michael Wright

doi:10.1186/s12939-022-01719-z

First Nations Australians' experiences of current alcohol policy in Central Australia: evidence of self-determination?

Int J Equity Health. 2022 Sep 8;21(1):127. doi: 10.1186/s12939-022-01719-z.

Authors

Annalee E Stearne¹, K S Kylie Lee², Steve Allsop³, Anthony Shakeshaft⁴, Michael Wright⁵

Affiliations

¹ National Drug Research Institute and enAble Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, WA, Perth, Australia. a.stearne@curtin.edu.au.
² Faculty of Medicine and Health, Central Clinical School, The University of Sydney, NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Indigenous Health and Alcohol, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
³ National Drug Research Institute and enAble Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, WA, Perth, Australia.
⁴ University of New South Wales, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁵ Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Allied Health, Curtin University, WA, 6845, Perth, Australia.

Abstract

Alcohol is the leading cause of healthy years lost. There is significant variation in alcohol consumption patterns and harms in Australia, with those residing in the Northern Territory (NT), particularly First Nations Australians, experiencing higher alcohol-attributable harms than other Australians. Community leadership in the planning and implementation of health, including alcohol, policy is important to health outcomes for First Nations Australians. Self-determination, a cornerstone of the structural and social determinants of health, is necessary in the development of alcohol-related policy. However, there is a paucity of published literature regarding Indigenous Peoples self-determination in alcohol policy development. This study aims to identify the extent to which First Nations Australians experience self-determination in relation to current alcohol policy in Alice Springs/Mbantua (Northern Territory, Australia).Semi-structured qualitative yarns with First Nations Australian community members (n = 21) were undertaken. A framework of elements needed for self-determination in health and alcohol policy were applied to interview transcripts to assess the degree of self-determination in current alcohol policy in Alice Springs/Mbantua. Of the 36 elements, 33% were not mentioned in the interviews at all, 20% were mentioned as being present, and 75% were absent. This analysis identified issues of policy implementation, need for First Nations Australian leadership, and representation.Alcohol policy for First Nations Australians in the NT is nuanced and complicated. A conscious approach is needed to recognise and implement the right to self-determination, which must be led and defined by First Nations Australians.First Nations Australians' experiences of current alcohol policy in Central Australia: evidence of self-determination?

Keywords: Alcohol; First Nations Australians; Northern Territory; Policy; Self-determination.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Humans
Northern Territory
Personal Autonomy*
Policy Making
Public Policy*

Grants and funding

1117198/National Health and Medical Research Council