Australian news media reporting of methamphetamine: an analysis of print media 2014-2016.

ObjectivesTo examine the representation and framing in Australian print media of methamphetamine and methamphetamine users from 2014 to 2016 when media attention was heightened around the National Ice Taskforce, including the implications of the coverage and framing in limiting public health responses to the problem.MethodsA quantitative media content analysis examined media portrayals of methamphetamine, including crystalline methamphetamine (also referred to by other names including 'crystal' or 'ice'), in 1,364 Australian print media articles published 2014-2016.ResultsThe largest number of articles about methamphetamine were published in 2015 with a higher proportion of these articles framed as a crisis than in other years. A crisis framing predominated media reporting across all years, with crime and legal consequences a key focus. Users were positioned predominantly as criminals, deviants or addicts.ConclusionsThe coverage of methamphetamine in the Australian print media mostly serves to construct methamphetamine use as an urgent social problem, often framed from a legal perspective and associated with violent, dangerous, deviant and aggressive users. Implications for public health: Such reporting and stigmatisation of methamphetamine use can undermine public health policy responses and strategies, including early intervention and treatment and focused efforts directed at those most at risk of harm

Examining the pathways for young people with drug and alcohol dependence: A mixed-method design to examine the role of a treatment programme

© BMJ Publishing Group. All rights reserved. Introduction: Young people with drug and alcohol problems are likely to have poorer health and other psychosocial outcomes than other young people. Residential treatment programmes have been shown to lead to improved health and related outcomes for young people in the short term. There is very little robust research showing longer term outcomes or benefits of such programmes. This paper describes an innovative protocol to examine the longer term outcomes and experiences of young people referred to a residential life management and treatment programme in Australia designed to address alcohol and drug issues in a holistic manner. Methods and analysis: This is a mixed-methods study that will retrospectively and prospectively examine young people's pathways into and out of a residential life management programme. The study involves 3 components: (1) retrospective data linkage of programme data to health and criminal justice administrative data sets, (2) prospective cohort (using existing programme baseline data and a follow-up survey) and (3) qualitative in-depth interviews with a subsample of the prospective cohort. The study will compare findings among young people who are referred and (a) stay 30 days or more in the programme (including those who go on to continuing care and those who do not); (b) start, but stay fewer than 30 days in the programme; (c) are assessed, but do not start the programme. Ethics and dissemination: Ethics approval has been sought from several ethics committees including a university ethics committee, state health departments and an Aboriginal-specific ethics committee. The results of the study will be published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at research conferences, disseminated via a report for the general public and through Facebook communications. The study will inform the field more broadly about the value of different methods in evaluating programmes and examining the pathways and trajectories of vulnerable young people

Address other life problems to get at-risk young people off methamphetamines

While the level of methamphetamine use (including ice) has remained stable in population studies of young people at 2%, new research has found use of methamphetamines has increased significantly in young people already at risk of other drug- and alcohol-related dependence and harm

Characteristics of Australian adolescent females in residential treatment who report using methamphetamines

Introduction and Aims: To investigate factors associated with methamphetamine use in adolescent females referred to an Australian residential treatment service. Design and Methods: A mixed-methods explanatory sequential design was undertaken. Cross-sectional analysis of existing pre-treatment data for adolescent females aged 13–18 years (median 16.48 years) attending a treatment program between 2009 and 2015 (n = 267) was undertaken, followed by a focus group and in-depth interviews of key staff. Results: Female methamphetamine-users (n = 127, 47.6%) were significantly more likely than non-methamphetamine-users at pre-treatment to be in unstable living arrangements, where they moved frequently (P = 0.025), lived in more unstable (not rented or privately owned) accommodation (P = 0.012) and had problematic family situations (P = 0.004). They were more likely than non-methamphetamine-users to be to be poly-drug users (P < 0.001) and to have ever attempted suicide (P = 0.029). Cumulative trauma by someone known to the adolescent was the main predictor for female methamphetamine use (odds ratio 3.077). Qualitative data provided context and depth to quantitative findings, with an emphasis on trauma as a precursor to methamphetamine use. The qualitative interviews also highlighted changes made in service provision, given the increasing rates of methamphetamine use. Discussion and Conclusions: High levels of trauma and mental health problems in this population support the notion that traumatic childhood experiences are strongly associated with problematic alcohol and other drug use, particularly, methamphetamine use, at a young age. Increased attention to decreasing family violence, abuse and neglect is required and in clinical practice, a trauma-informed model of care is recommended

Priority Setting in Indigenous Health: Why We Need an Explicit Decision Making Approach

Indigenous Australians have significantly poorer health outcomes than the non-Indigenous population worldwide. The Australian government has increased its investment in Indigenous health through the "Closing the Health Gap" initiative. Deciding where to invest scarce resources so as to maximize health outcomes for Indigenous peoples may require improved priority setting processes. Current government practice involves a mix of implicit and explicit processes to varying degrees at the macro and meso decision making levels. In this article, we argue that explicit priority setting should be emphasized in Indigenous health, as it can ensure that the decision making process is accountable, systematic, and transparent. Following a review of the literature, we outline four key issues that need to be considered for explicit priority setting: developing an Indigenous health "constitution," strengthening the evidence base, selecting mechanisms for priority setting, and establishing appropriate incentives and institutional structure. We then summarize our findings into a checklist that can help a decision makers ensure that explicit priority setting is undertaken in Indigenous health. By addressing these key issues, the benefits of an explicit approach, which include increased efficiency, equity, and use of evidence, can be realized, thereby maximizing Indigenous health outcomes

Priority Setting in Indigenous Health: Why We Need an Explicit Decision Making Approach

Indigenous Australians have significantly poorer health outcomes than the non-Indigenous population worldwide. The Australian government has increased its investment in Indigenous health through the Closing the Health Gap initiative. Deciding where to invest scarce resources so as to maximize health outcomes for Indigenous peoples may require improved priority setting processes. Current government practice involves a mix of implicit and explicit processes to varying degrees at the macro and meso decision making levels. In this article, we argue that explicit priority setting should be emphasized in Indigenous health, as it can ensure that the decision making process is accountable, systematic, and transparent. Following a review of the literature, we outline four key issues that need to be considered for explicit priority setting: developing an Indigenous health constitution, strengthening the evidence base, selecting mechanisms for priority setting, and establishing appropriate incentives and institutional structure. We then summarize our findings into a checklist that can help a decision makers ensure that explicit priority setting is undertaken in Indigenous health. By addressing these key issues, the benefits of an explicit approach, which include increased efficiency, equity, and use of evidence, can be realized, thereby maximizing Indigenous health outcomes