Alcohol and Drugs DHB Toolkit

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Minimising Alcohol and Other Drug Related Harm
DHB Toolkit

Date of publication: October 2001

Summary
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Summary

This toolkit was designed to assist District Health Boards (DHBs) to implement the New Zealand Health Strategy (NZHS) priority population health objective:

‘(to) minimise harm caused by alcohol and illicit and other drug use to both individuals and the community.’

The Public Health Directorate of the Ministry of Health led the toolkit development, with expert drug and alcohol input in primary care, secondary/tertiary care and public health.

A substantial range of existing work forms the policy context in the alcohol and drug area. The National Drug Policy (www.ndp.govt.nz) and National Mental Health Strategy form the alcohol and drug policy framework. Sitting under these are the National Alcohol Strategy (www.alcohol.org.nz) and Strategic Framework for Alcohol and Drug Services, among other documents.

Substance abuse causes significant harm to the health of New Zealanders. The most widely used drugs, alcohol and tobacco (tobacco is covered in a separate toolkit), account for the majority of that harm. As the NZHS identifies, at some time in their life nearly one in five New Zealanders will suffer an alcohol use disorder. Much of the harm from alcohol use in New Zealand is a consequence of heavier drinking occasions. This harm includes deaths and injuries resulting from drunk driving, drownings, and violence both within and outside the home. Alcohol abuse also contributes to some types of cancer, stroke, heart disease, mental health conditions, suicide, and is associated with offenders.

Daily or near daily use of cannabis over years, puts users at greatest risk of adverse health consequences such as: respiratory diseases including the possibility of cancers, subtle cognitive impairment, psychotic symptoms among vulnerable individuals, and dependency. By age 21, 9 percent of the population are expected to be dependent on cannabis. Injecting drug use produces serious risks to individuals and society including overdose, blood-borne disease, and crime to support dependence. About 45 percent of all identified injecting drug users are infected with hepatitis C.

The NZHS emphasises the need for health policy to reduce inequalities between those population groups with the poorest health status, and particularly Māori and Pacific peoples. Priorities should be set according to need, with benefits to be gained when services are targeted or adapted to specific population groups. Further information is available on the Ministry’s work on reducing inequalities in health.

A comprehensive, intersectoral approach to reducing drug and alcohol-related harm is advocated. This involves a co-operative approach from DHBs, with all relevant government agencies and non-governmental organisations. DHBs should instigate interventions across the full framework of primary care, secondary/tertiary care and public health. People have diverse health needs, using various services from different providers in different settings, sometimes at the same time. Thus for people to achieve the best package of care and to avoid service duplication, co-ordination within and between services is necessary.

Key recommended interventions for reducing alcohol and drug-related harm, for DHBs to implement and support are categorised in this toolkit under primary, secondary/tertiary, and public health. Supporting information relating to each intervention is also provided.

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The publication is available in Word and PDF format below:

Minimising Alcohol and Other Drug Related Harm Toolkit (Word, 566 KB)

Minimising Alcohol and Other Drug Related Harm Toolkit (PDF, 369 KB)

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Related information

National Drug Policy (www.ndp.govt.nz)