Reducing Alcohol Consumption and other Drug Harm in Boozy Byron Bay Assessment Answer

A. i. Identify & describe the Community of Choice

Czech Republic (Czechia) is renowned as the world’s leading Alcohol consumption country; Australia is nowhere near it. Yet again, Alcohol is the most commonly used drug in the country. Nevertheless, the study by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF) states that drinking levels are higher in rural remote areas for reasons that are related to the less choices of socializing, the acceptance of Alcohol in the community and social events, and cultural practices that normalize frequent drinking (Alcohol and Drug Foundation, 2023). On this note, Bryon Bay has been identified as one of Australia’s drinking capital according to a recent study conducted by MacKenzie (2019) of ABC North Coast. In another study carried out by the Mitchelle Institute at the Victory University, it was found out that more than 1/3 of the residents in the shire drunk and used drugs like cannabis, fentanyl, and oxycodone at a high rate. Geographically, is a beachside town that is situated in the far northeastern corner of the state of New South Wales (NSW). Bryon Bay is situated 772 kilometres north of Sydney and 165 kilometres south of Brisbane state. According to a population census that was carried out in 2021, the bay had a population of 6330 people in it. Byron bay is the biggest town of the Bryon shire local government area yet it is not the shire’s main administration centre. The shire’s administration centre is instead Mullumbimby. This report analyses the needs assessment to reduce alcohol consumption and other drug use that are rampant in Byron Bay.

A. ii. Discuss the Short, Medium and Long-term Impacts of the Health Issue in the Chosen Community

The current high prevalence of alcohol and drug use in Byron Bay poses a serious threat to the community, and Australia in general. First forward, the frequency at which Alcohol and drugs are being used in the bay will certainly affect income levels among families of the binge drunkards. ABC North Coast News writes that more than 31.6 percent of the residents in the shire binge drink. The news post further acknowledges that Byron Bay is a touristic attraction town where tourists come to unwind, party, and have a good time. It is therefore not surprising that the use of drugs and Alcohol are everyday in the area. Still, Victoria University Health Policy Professor Rosemary Calder says that the area being a destination for tourists on its own those not make it a boozing city. Instead, the Alcohol drinking habits of the residents are reflective of the natural behaviours of the town occupants (MacKenzie, 2019). As more and more individuals are getting involved diagnosed in Alcohol consumption and the use of drugs in the shire, the areas house capita income is likely to reduce since then more people will be wasting their money in substance use. Besides, Alcohol has health impacts on human health. For example, Alcohol damages human lungs, and liver diseases, high blood pressure, throat oesophagus, cancer of the breast, heart disease, and digestive problems when consumed in excessive amounts (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). That said, the people in Byron Bay risk suffering the above mentioned diseases in the future due to their frequent consumption of Alcohol. Then, although Byron Bay town is considered one of the main touristic sites in Australia, the city being a boozing capital of Australia should be a timing bomb that will soon blast its touristic attraction. As is known, Alcohol consumption areas are crime spots, and sooner Byron Bay will become one, which will in due course scare away tourists from coming in the area.

B. i. Discuss the Benefits of Conducting a Needs Assessment in This Community

Victoria University Health Policy Professor Rosemary Calder says risky drinking has become one of the leading hobbies the wealthiest groups in Australia are involving themselves in as people involve Alcohol as part of their daily routine. Still researching to get to the core of this issue would be an important step for consideration if we are to address this issue in the community. The Australian Institute of Family Studies defines a needs assessment as ‘a systematic process that avails information about social needs or issues in a place or population group and determines which issue should be prioritised for action’ (Smart, 2019). On the other hand, Alcohol consumption and the use of drugs is caused by a myriad of factors all which stem from individual lifestyle behaviours such as sedentary lifestyles, community normalization of Alcohol, and substance use, dearth of social virtues, ease of access of Alcohol, and high income levels in public. The fact that Byron Bay is a key tourist destination gives the implication that the region is one of the leading contributors of revenue earnings in the country. However, it being that the community is growing to become a boozing hub risks its tourism lure that tourists would have in the region. While this poses a threat to the country, it also does for the population in the town. Tourism comes with lots of benefits for both the country and the residents of the tourism destination. Notably, it boots business activities in the region for example hotels and accommodation facilities, the transport sector, retail businesses and more. Carrying out a needs assessment in the area will be beneficial in the sense that the population will get to know the repercussions of the area being flagged as the boozing capital of Australia on its tourism appeal to potential tourists.

B. ii. Discuss the Role of the Nurse in Conducting the Needs Assessment in This Community

When it is to do health, practitioners play an important role in helping us understand health issues. Likewise, analysing such a health related community issue would require the expertise of a healthcare professionals like nurses to get to the gist of the effects of drug use and excessive Alcohol consumption to the people in Byron Bay. Firstly, a nurse will help us in obtaining the patients’ health history and carrying out physical assessments on patients. The primary role that nurses will play in the current analysis is to establish the relationship between excessive Alcohol use, drug use and diseases like heart disease, voice box, liver diseases, stroke, mental disorders and more. Given that the focus of the assessment is reducing Alcohol and other drug use in Byron Bay, the nurse will help caution residents in the region about the dangers of Alcohol and other drug use in the population after performing physical examinations of the people diagnosed with Alcohol and drug use related diseases. In a word, the nurses will avail us scientific based information that will be based on in developing measures to address the ever-increasing cases of drug use and Alcohol abuse in the region. Still, social workers, and government workers would be relevant in conducting the current needs assessment. As before mentioned, the behaviours of drug use and Alcohol consumption are primarily caused by individual lifestyle behaviors like sedentary lifestyles, ease of access to Alcohol, peer pressure and more. Accordingly, social workers and government experts would sensitize the population to cease their behaviours of Alcohol and other drug use. In the same, government workers can propose a bill designed to tame Alcohol consumption at given hours of the day as another measure to reduce the consumption of liquor in the shire. Moreover, the government officials may propose a bill prohibiting the use of drugs in the area.

C. i. Identify Three Needs of the Community Which Will Assist to Promote Improved Health Outcomes

With it highlighted one of the primary causes of Alcohol and drug use in the Byron Bay community is the acceptance of Alcohol consumption in the area, there is need to tighten the Alcohol consumption hours and age limit in the area. This will help limit residents in the community from engaging in binge and irresponsible drinking. Secondly, the Byron Shire Local Government should implement a comprehensive community sensitization program to educate the locals on the health effects of Alcohol and other drug use.

C. ii. Discuss the Resources Required to Address the Three Needs and Provide a Rationale for the Selected Resources

A fully fledged team of competent nurses, local government officials, and social workers would form a competent and relevant team capable of sensitizing the locals on the possible effects of drug and Alcohol use on the community. The nurses are requisite in this assessment since they will give their scientific knowledge and advise the public on the possible dangers of frequent drinking. For example, nurses will help explain the health effects of drug and Alcohol use to the members in the community. They will also offer scientific guidance on how to avoid acquiring diseases that are a result of using drugs and excessive Alcohol consumption. On the other hand, Alternatively, government officials can complement and support the needs assessment by delving to learn the causes of alcohol consumption in the region which would form the support to address the issue. The local government officials of Byron shire are capable of offering the first in line counselling to the people in the Byron Bay community. Since the community is increasingly becoming intoxicated with drugs and many people drinking alcohol, local authorities in the area have the authority to enact laws restricting people from unnecessary drinking should the authorities find out that the drinking in the area will only endanger the future growth and development of the community. Still, social workers and social activists would complete the formidable team of experts needed to address the current issue in Byron Bay. The social workers role is to sensitize the local community residents on the dangers of drug use and alcohol consumption. As is known, social workers are a second wing of government; they work hand-in-hand with the government in helping to address social issues to improve the human well-being. Likewise, social workers can support the community in Byron Bay by creating employment opportunities through social projects to keep the citizenry in the Bay engaged through work.

C. iii. Identify Three Short Term, Medium Term and Long Term Expected Outcomes for the Community

C. iv. Provide an Analysis of How These Outcomes Would Address the Health Issue

As many of today’s chronic diseases are linked with human lifestyles, efforts are needed to caution the global population to revise our lifestyle behaviors. Unfortunately, diseases such as liver diseases, high blood pressure, stroke, voice box, breast cancer, oesophagus, and digestive problems have all been confirmed to be predominately caused by our poor life style behaviors which either reduce the ability of the red blood cells to function well or introduce unhealthy viruses in our bodies (Digit, n.d). Specifically, the use of drugs like cocaine and others cause lung related problems. Thankfully, as these diseases are today becoming commonplace, healthcare teams have done their job in raising the awareness of the public which resonates with the increasing levels of health consciousness especially among the urban residing population. Still the prevalence of Alcohol consumption is still high in many of Australia’s remote and rural areas with the Byron Bay being top on the list a fact that confirms that not all people in the area are versed with the effects of our lifestyle behaviours on our health. As stated in the above, Byron Bay ranks as one of the leading hotspots of Alcohol and drug use in Australia yet the community contributes large on the nation’s tourism earnings. Leaving the rate of Alcohol consumption and use of drugs as it is now in the area without making any intervention risks harming the reputation of the Bay. Thus, eliciting the services and initiatives of nurses, government, and social workers is on many accounts an important consideration that will go a long way in addressing the health issue under study. Notably, the nurses will help provide scientific and health knowledge through the diagnosis, and treatment of the of residents with Alcohol related caused disease while the local government (government officials) will provide guidance and implement measures purposed to curb the frequency of Alcohol consumption and impose punitive measures to stop the use of drugs within the community. In any case, the government mandated by the law has the responsibility of ensuring its people live better, and healthy lives, and by implementing laws on irresponsible drinking and the use of drugs, the Local Government of Byron Shire will only be exercising its rights within the law. Alternatively, social workers and their reverence in the community for their social work would be an ideal resource in addressing this issue. After all, members in community service easily connect with the community, and people hear from them. Hence, their inclusion as part of the team to address the social issue would serve a great dealing in countering this problem in Byron Bay.

D. An Aerial Shot of Byron Bay Community

References

Alcohol and Drug Foundation. (2019, 17). Alcohol and other drugs in regional and remote areas . The Alcohol and Drug Foundation - Alcohol and Drug Foundation. https://adf.org.au/insights/regional-remote-aod/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, October 24). Drinking too much alcohol can harm your health. Learn the facts | CDC . https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/alcohol-use.htm

Digit. (n.d.). Lifestyle Diseases: Types, Risk Factors, Diagnosis, and Prevention . https://www.godigit.com/health-insurance/lifestyle/what-are-lifestyle-diseases

MacKenzie, B. (2019, December 18). Byron ranked the boozing capital of Australia . ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-18/byron-bay-ranked-boozing-capital-of-australia/11810776

Smart, J. (2019). Needs assessment . Australian Institute of Family Studies.
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