Drinking risk varies within and between Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander samples: a meta‐analysis to identify sources of heterogeneity
- 14 February 2020
- Vol. 115 (10), 1817-1830
- https://doi.org/10.1111/add.15015
Abstract
Background and Aims To reduce health and social inequities, it is important to understand how drinking patterns vary within and between Indigenous peoples. We aimed to assess variability in estimates of Indigenous Australian drinking patterns and to identify demographic and methodological factors associated with this. Design A three‐level meta‐analysis of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (“Indigenous”) drinking patterns (PROSPERO #CRD42018103209). Setting Australia Participants Indigenous Australians Measurements The primary outcomes extracted were drinking status, single‐occasion risk and lifetime risk. Moderation analysis was performed to identify potential sources of heterogeneity. Moderators included gender, age, socioeconomic status, local alcohol restrictions, sample population, remoteness, Australian state or territory, publication year, Indigenous involvement in survey design or delivery, and cultural adaptations. Findings A systematic review of the literature revealed 41 eligible studies. For all primary outcomes, considerable heterogeneity was identified within ( = 51.4‐68.8%) and between ( = 29.3‐47.4%) samples. The pooled proportions (p) of current drinkers (p = 0.59, 95% CI 0.53‐0.65), single‐occasion (p = 0.34, 95% CI 0.24‐0.44) and lifetime (p = 0.21, 95% CI 0.15‐0.29) risk were all moderated by gender, age, remoteness and measurement tool. Reference period moderated proportions of participants at single‐occasion risk. Conclusions Indigenous Australian drinking patterns vary within and between communities. Initiatives to reduce high risk drinking should take account of this variability.Funding Information
- Australian Research Council (DE180100016)
- National Health and Medical Research Council (1087192, 1105339, 1117198, 1117582)
This publication has 69 references indexed in Scilit:
- The overall health and risk factor profile of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants from the 45 and up studyBMC Public Health, 2013
- High risk alcohol-related trauma among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the Northern TerritorySubstance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 2012
- The risk status, screening history and health concerns of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people attending an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health ServiceDrug and Alcohol Review, 2012
- Epidemiology of alcohol‐related burden of disease among Indigenous AustraliansAustralian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 2010
- Gender and alcohol consumption: patterns from the multinational GENACIS projectAddiction, 2009
- Indigenous health part 2: the underlying causes of the health gapThe Lancet, 2009
- Indigenous health part 1: determinants and disease patternsThe Lancet, 2009
- Incidence, aetiology, and outcomes of cancer in Indigenous peoples in AustraliaThe Lancet Oncology, 2008
- Emerging patterns of cannabis and other substance use in Aboriginal communities in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory: a study of two communitiesDrug and Alcohol Review, 2004
- Quantifying heterogeneity in a meta-analysisStatistics in Medicine, 2002