Indicator Rationale
Addiction and substance misuse are social determinants of health. Alcohol dependence and misuse, illicit drug use and tobacco smoking are markers of disadvantage in burden of disease studies and are the biggest contributors to early mortality and morbidity (Keleher & Murphy, 2001). Risk factors that determine the demand for drug use are manifold. They include poverty, low attachment to the community, community disorganisation, detachment from school or the workplace, parental alcohol and drug use, family conflict, inconsistent parenting, marital instability and friends engaging in problem behaviours. The more of these risk factors that are present, the more individuals and communities are likely to use drugs such as marijuana and alcohol harmfully (Moodie, 2001).
Factors that protect against drug use include a culture of cooperation and tolerance among individuals and between institutions and diverse groups in society, a sense of belonging to family, to school, to the workplace and to the community, good relationships with family and friends, positive achievements, stability and security (Moodie, 2001). The risk and protective factors are not easily addressed since they relate to the bigger picture about what level of investment we are prepared to make in our social, educational and economic infrastructure. They fundamentally relate to what sort of society we want to be (Moodie, 2001).
Data Source
Department of Human Services - Drugs Policy and Services Branch, needs further investigation.
Measure
Reported at regional level: Victorian Population Health Survey: percentage of population that use illicit drugs
References
Moodie, R. (2001), Harmful Drug Use in Victoria: It Is Our Problem, July 2001 Vol. 1 No.1.
Keleher H. and Bernadette Murphy Consulting (2001), Social Determinants of Health Project, Outer Eastern Health Alliance.
