Recently, Injury Matters, through the Know Injury program, hosted the Alcohol and Injury Prevention Forum: Turning Evidence into Action. We were fortunate to have a diverse group of speakers deliver an engaging and insightful session.
Participants explored a broad range of evidence and strategies to better understand and prevent alcohol-related harm. They learned about the strong relationship between alcohol use and injury, including the significant financial burden alcohol places on the health system. Data presented at the forum showed that Western Australia has the second-highest rate of unintentional alcohol-related injury deaths in Australia, highlighting the urgent need for strong prevention initiatives. Speakers also discussed best-practice approaches, such as regulating alcohol advertising, reducing availability, improving pricing policies, and embedding public health planning at the local government level.
The forum showcased three case studies, giving participants a clear picture of the alcohol harm–prevention programs currently operating in Western Australia.
Strong Spirit Strong Mind – Stronger You, Stronger Mob Campaign
This campaign supports young Aboriginal people to build the knowledge and confidence needed to make healthy lifestyle choices. It promotes positive environments and raises awareness of the harms associated with alcohol and other drugs.
City of Stirling – Local Drug Action Team (SLDAT)
The SLDAT aims to strengthen community capacity by building partnerships, fostering community leadership, sharing resources, and supporting collaborative learning. The team has identified three key priority areas:
- Alcohol, young people, and families
- Alcohol in community settings
- Vaping and young people
Water Alcohol Advertising Evidence (WAVE) Project
The WAVE project seeks to strengthen the evidence base and support advocacy efforts to inform policies, practices, and future research. Its focus is on reducing young people’s exposure to alcohol advertising in aquatic environments.
Find out what workshop participants had to say:
“Great range of speakers and organisations.”
“Great forum. Injury Matters – Know Injury program training opportunities are consistently excellent.”
“This was great… to gain a better understanding of the different organisations in this sector.”
You can head to the Injury Matters Events page to check out our upcoming events.