Alcohol is a leading cause of disease in young Australians, with recent increases in alcohol access among those aged 14-24 linked to the proliferation of alcohol-related content through digital technology and social media.
This new project led by Associate Professor Delyse Hutchinson aims to reduce the burden of alcohol on young people’s mental and physical health. To do so, it will inform prevention and harm minimisation approaches designed to limit alcohol access and use, and alcohol-related harm from early childhood to young adulthood.
The team will evaluate the risk and impact of increased alcohol access on young people using innovative artificial intelligence (AI) software to enable rapid evidence updates as they emerge. They will also address knowledge gaps by collecting new data on adolescent alcohol access, use and related harm within a pre-existing NHMRC-funded cohort study.
Over five years, this project will work to translate results to inform policy, prevention and harm minimisation approaches to reduce the adverse effects of increased access to alcohol on young Australians. The researchers will collaborate with consumers and research partners headspace, the Australian Drug Foundation (ADF) and the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY).
The project is funded by an MRFF grant.