NCETA Makes a Big Splash at APSAD 2016

December 2016

NCETA had a significant presence at the 2016 APSAD Conference, held at Darling Harbour between 30 October and 2 November.

NCETA’s contributions to the Conference included:

1. Four paper presentations covering a wide range of issues including:

  1. An evaluation of AOD first aid workshops
  2. A qualitative analysis of workplace AOD interventions
  3. Evidence from the Workplace Reduction of Alcohol-Related Harm Project (WRAHP)
  4. Reporting on the patterns, prevalence and correlates of methamphetamine use in rural Australia

2. Four poster presentations highlighting:

  1. An international review of Employee Assistance Programs
  2. Baseline from an evaluation of a wellbeing intervention targeting construction industry apprentices
  3. A review of the literature on stress and substance use
  4. AOD workforce development in Pacific Rim countries.

3. An exhibition stall promoting and disseminating NCETA’s research findings and practical and user-friendly resources. Participants expressed particular interest in NCETA’s:

  1. Online resources including Ice: Training for Frontline Workers and the National Alcohol and Drug Knowledgebase
  2. Information resources on crystal methamphetamine
  3. Research and resources on worker wellbeing
  4. Information resources on addressing AOD use among older people
  5. Work in addressing workplace AOD-related problems
  6. Resources on supporting the AOD workforce to respond to family and domestic violence.

Professor Ann Roche’s presentation on the first Australian study examining the patterns of crystal methamphetamine use in rural Australia attracted the most amount of print and electronic media interest before, during and after the Conference. It also resulted in a number of spin-off media stories about the effects of crystal methamphetamine in remote Aboriginal communities and the need for enhanced AOD treatment service planning in regional, rural and remote settings.