Research Projects

• Heavy cannabis use in Arnhem Land [more]
• Professional needs of Aboriginal Drug And Alcohol Workers in NSW [more]
• Alcohol and culture in Cape York [more]
• Films to communicate health promotion messages in Arnhem Land [more]

This list is being currently updated.

Heavy cannabis use in Arnhem Land

Title: Heavy cannabis use in three remote Aboriginal communities in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia: natural history, depressive symptoms and the potential for community-driven interventions (PhD project: recently completed).

Staff: Kylie Lee, Alan Clough, Kate Conigrave, Muriel Jaragba, George Patton, Timothy Dobbins

Aims:
To describe how cannabis use changes in a group of individuals over a five-year period, including their level of use and the prevalence at five years of symptoms of dependence on cannabis.

To investigate the factors that influences the natural history of cannabis use.

To investigate any association between depressive symptoms (measured by a modified Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and heavy cannabis use in a cross-sectional analysis.

To evaluate the potential of three community-driven initiatives to address cannabis and other substance misuse:
– A preventive youth program established to address substance misuse, crime and lack of respect for older people and culture

– A program established to divert young offenders away from the justice system and into local recreational, training and healthy living activities

– An approach led by local Indigenous research staff to feed back research findings on cannabis use and related harms to study communities using local language and concepts

Design and method: A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods was used, with approaches adapted to suit the study setting, and to minimise the considerable potential language and cultural barriers. Data collection methods included a structured survey, semi-structured interviews and review of routinely collected data. Local Indigenous research staff assisted in interviews.

Funding: NHMRC Indigenous Australian Training Scholarship, Alcohol Education Rehabilitation Foundation

Professional needs of Aboriginal Drug And Alcohol Workers in NSW

Title: An examination of the professional needs of Aboriginal Drug And Alcohol Workers in NSW (MPhil project: current).

Staff: Steve Ella, Steve Childs, Kate Conigrave, in collaboration with the National Centre for Education and Training in the Addictions (NCETA)

Aims: To assess the professional needs of Aboriginal Drug And Alcohol Workers based in NSW, including training needs and stress

Design and method: Interviews using a structured questionnaire

Funding: Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation and NSW Health

Alcohol and culture in Cape York

Title:The impact of alcohol on culture in remote Indigenous communities in Cape York and the potential of culture to assist in prevention and treatment efforts (MPhil project: current)

Staff: Shaun Edwards-Kalk, Marilyn Wise, Kate Conigrave

Aims: To assess the impact of alcohol on culture, and the strengths that culture has to help address alcohol misuse in a remote Aboriginal community

Design and method: Qualitative study using key stakeholder interviews

Funding: Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies

Films to communicate health promotion messages in Arnhem Land

Title: Using films to communicate health promotion messages about tobacco sickness and co-existing substance misuse and mental health problems in 4 remote Aboriginal communities in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory.

Staff: Kylie Lee, Muriel Jaragba, David Hansen, Gloria O’Hare, Leonie Murrungun, Matthew Wurrawilya, Lena Mamarika and Jenni Langrell.

Aims: Eight films have been made on Groote Eylandt targeting a range of important health issues including cannabis and mental health, HIV, nicotine replacement therapy, and most recently sickness from tobacco and coping with stress and grief. Each film incorporates local cultural concepts and language (with English subtitles) and is based on local ideas. Community involvement in the production of these culturally appropriate resources has been paramount in every aspect from script development, to casting, shooting, translations and editing. Collaboration has also been important with involvement from a range of stakeholders including Anindilyakwa Land Council, Groote Eylandt Health Clinics, Groote Eylandt Linguistics and Numbulwar Linguistics.

‘Sickness from tobacco’ – Follow Muriel as she tries to find out what smoking does to our bodies inside.

‘Coping with stress and grief’ – Find out what Matthew and his wife Lena do to get through a really stressful time.

Design and method: Semi-structured interviews with community members and key stakeholders

Funding: National Illicit Drug Strategy