Hunter Region Sees Alarming Rise in Daily Alcohol Use, Driving High Social Costs

Alcohol is a leading cause of disease burden and hospitalisation in Australia. File picture The social cost of alcohol use in the Hunter has been estimated at $2 billion, as new research pinpoints key reasons why people drink at dangerous levels. Subscribe now for unlimited access. or signup to continue reading Holiday Offer All articles from our website & app The digital version of Today's Paper Crosswords, Sudoku and Trivia All other in your area As the number of people in Hunter New England drinking alcohol daily hit a 10-year high, a big study attributed "personal and social factors" to excessive drinking. The data, which applies to those aged 16 and over, shows 10.2 per cent of people in the Hunter district drink daily. This was higher than other health districts, including Western Sydney (3 per cent), South Western Sydney (3.5 per cent) and South Eastern Sydney (5.2 per cent). Other results were Central Coast (7.5 per cent), southern NSW (11.9 per cent) and NSW (6.9 per cent). A national analysis found the estimated social cost of alcohol use in Australia to be $75 billion. The costs include premature death, illness, crime, lost productivity and healthcare. Alcohol was a leading cause of disease burden and hospitalisation, affecting individuals, families, workplaces and the justice system. The analysis reaffirmed the long-term trend in Australia of prevalent alcohol use during "social and cultural activities". This aligned with new research that revealed personal and social factors play a bigger role in high-risk drinking than workplace factors like long hours. The study examined more than two decades of data from the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey to determine how job-related factors influence alcohol use. Led by Flinders University, the research found that work-related stress and shift work does influence high-risk drinking. The study's co-author Dr Kirrilly Thompson, an adjunct academic with University of Newcastle, said the findings had "clear implications for employers". "Workplaces can't ignore this issue. Long hours and shift work are linked to harmful drinking patterns," Dr Thompson said. She added that "myths like 'alcohol helps you sleep' persist among shift workers". "Employers need to provide education about the real effects of alcohol, promote work-life balance and offer support for stress management." Dr Thompson said these steps could "make a real difference". "For workplaces that demand long hours or operate on shift schedules, some targeted strategies to reduce alcohol-related harm could be really useful," she said. The study found associations between work and alcohol use, rather than cause-and-effect relationships. However, the authors insisted the patterns were strong enough to inform policy and workplace health programs. Lead author Dr Gianluca Di Censo, of Flinders' College of Medicine and Public Health, said the findings challenge common assumptions. "We often think of workplace stress as one of the main drivers of excessive drinking," Dr Di Censo said. Shift workers were more likely to engage in single-occasion high-risk drinking, while those who wanted to work more hours also showed elevated risk. "Wanting more work hours may reflect underlying factors such as financial stress, workaholism or other traits," Dr Di Censo said. Daily Your morning news Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. Weekdays The lunch break Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. Weekdays The evening wrap Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. Weekly Subscriber Only Note from the Editor Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. Weekly What's On Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. 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