Publication Detail

Midford, R., Masters, L., Phillips, M., Daly, A., M., Stockwell, T., R., Gahegan, M. and Philp, A. (1998). Alcohol consumption and injury in Western Australia: a spatial correlation analysis using Geographic Information Systems. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 22, (1), pp. 80-85. [RJ265]

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology was used to describe in geographical terms, the nature and strength of the relationship in Western Australia between alcohol consumption and the following rates of related injury: night time assaults (10pm-6am); minor night time road crashes (10pm-6am), weighted by traffic density; hospital E code (external cause) morbidity, weighted by alcohol aetiologic fractions. The data was aggregated by five conventional state regions: Northern, Central, Western, Southern, Perth Metropolitan. There was a general association, of equal significance for males and females, between estimated per capita alcohol consumption by drinkers and the selected rates of injury in the five regions of Western Australia. However, the nature and strength of association between alcohol consumption and individual injury measures varied. Night time assaults and hospital E code morbidity were strongly associated with consumption. Minor night time crashes only exhibited a weak association. The considerable variation in alcohol consumption and injury suggests that prevention strategies need to take into account the particular drinking patterns and associated harm that occur in different regions of the state and develop a range of targeted responses. High rates of consumption and injury in most country areas support the need for greater regional prevention efforts.

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