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Peer-reviewedCC BYDrug and alcohol review

Trends in Australian Alcohol Consumption and Related Harms, 2010-2023.

  • Emma Vieira1,2
  • Mia Miller3,4
  • Amy Peacock3,5
  • Nicola Man3
  • Michael Livingston1,2
5 affiliations
  1. 1National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Melbourne, Australia.
  2. 2Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
  3. 3National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
  4. 4Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia.
  5. 5School of Psychology, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
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Abstract

Introduction

Alcohol consumption is a substantial contributor to Australia's total disease burden. Various studies have examined trends in specific measures of consumption or harm, but a comprehensive analysis of trends is needed to understand the changing impact of alcohol in Australia. The current study synthesised data across multiple national indicators to assess long-term trends in alcohol consumption and related harms.Methods

Publicly accessible data were compiled from 2010 to 2023 (or until the most recent year available) and categorised into the following: non-survey consumption measures (i.e., alcohol available for consumption and wastewater estimates); survey consumption measures (i.e., three nationally representative surveys); and alcohol-related harm measures (i.e., deaths, hospitalisations, ambulance attendances, injuries, random breath tests and alcohol treatment episodes). Data were analysed using joinpoint regression analysis to assess trends and quantify annual percentage change.Results

Survey and wastewater measures of alcohol consumption generally declined from 2010 onwards, while per-capita consumption as measured via tax and import data slightly increased. Rates of most alcohol-related harms increased substantially over the same period.Discussion and conclusions

Alcohol-related harms in Australia have generally increased over the past 15 years. This trend, alongside declines in survey-measures of consumption and relative stability in tax-based estimates of per-capita consumption raises potential concerns about the ongoing validity of population surveys as tools to measure consumption trends. Increasing harms also point to the urgent need for evidence-based interventions in Australian alcohol policy.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{vieira2026trends,
  title = {{Trends in Australian Alcohol Consumption and Related Harms, 2010-2023.}},
  author = {Emma Vieira and Mia Miller and Amy Peacock and Nicola Man and Michael Livingston},
  journal = {Drug and alcohol review},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1111/dar.70261},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42894483},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Trends in Australian Alcohol Consumption and Related Harms, 2010-2023.
AU  - Emma Vieira
AU  - Mia Miller
AU  - Amy Peacock
AU  - Nicola Man
AU  - Michael Livingston
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/30
JO  - Drug and alcohol review
DO  - 10.1111/dar.70261
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42894483
AB  - Introduction  Alcohol consumption is a substantial contributor to Australia's total disease burden. Various studies have examined trends in specific measures of consumption or harm, but a comprehensive analysis of trends is needed to understand the changing impact of alcohol in Australia. The current study synthesised data across multiple national indicators to assess long-term trends in alcohol consumption and related harms.Methods  Publicly accessible data were compiled from 2010 to 2023 (or until the most recent year available) and categorised into the following: non-survey consumption measures (i.e., alcohol available for consumption and wastewater estimates); survey consumption measures (i.e., three nationally representative surveys); and alcohol-related harm measures (i.e., deaths, hospitalisations, ambulance attendances, injuries, random breath tests and alcohol treatment episodes). Data were analysed using joinpoint regression analysis to assess trends and quantify annual percentage change.Results  Survey and wastewater measures of alcohol consumption generally declined from 2010 onwards, while per-capita consumption as measured via tax and import data slightly increased. Rates of most alcohol-related harms increased substantially over the same period.Discussion and conclusions  Alcohol-related harms in Australia have generally increased over the past 15 years. This trend, alongside declines in survey-measures of consumption and relative stability in tax-based estimates of per-capita consumption raises potential concerns about the ongoing validity of population surveys as tools to measure consumption trends. Increasing harms also point to the urgent need for evidence-based interventions in Australian alcohol policy.
SN  - 0959-5236
SN  - 1465-3362
ER  -