Neuropsychological problems and alcohol availability key factors in continued heavy alcohol use for Aboriginal Australians [Letter]

Neuropsychological problems and alcohol availability key factors in continued heavy alcohol use for Aboriginal Australians [Letter] Journal Article

Medical Journal of Australia

• Author(s): Dingwall, K. , Maruff, P. , Cairney, S.
• Published: 2011
• Volume: 94

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Abstract: Significant morbidity and mortality are associated with excessive alcohol use, which, for Aboriginal Australians, generally occurs within a context of disadvantage. During 2007–2009, we assessed cognitive and psychological factors (using CogState1 and Strong Souls2 [CogState Ltd, Melbourne, Vic]) of 21 men and 11 women on admission to a 2-month Aboriginal residential treatment program in the Northern Territory. Participants’ mean age was 32 years (SD, 8.7 years) and the mean length of time for which they had used alcohol was 13.3 years (SD, 7.7 years). To determine the effect of age, number of years of drinking and other factors on continued alcohol use, we reinterviewed and reassessed participants in their home community with the same cognitive and psychological measures used at the initial assessment after a mean period of 11 months (SD, 4.4 months). At both baseline and follow-up, the number of participants for whom data were available varied for some characteristics. The Human Research Ethics Committee of the Northern Territory Department of Health and Community Services and Menzies School of Health Research (including the Aboriginal Ethics Sub Committee) approved the study.

• Urls: https://www.mja.com.au/system/files/issues/194_01_030111/letters_030111_fm-5.pdf Available from , https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2011/194/1/neuropsychological-problems-and-alcohol-availability-appear-be-key-factors