Research design
The research design builds on a stakeholder consultation workshop held in February 2018. The research approach will involve:
Collecting in-depth qualitative data from those who are/were on the BDR, their families/social networks.
Conducting a major data-linkage exercise to assess the ways in which people on the BDR interact with other government agencies (including justice, health, AOD treatment and other relevant agencies).
Compiling detailed time-series data from existing administrative data sources on police offences, emergency department presentations, AOD treatment episodes, hospital re-admissions, child protection cases, school attendance and a range of other sources to examine the community-wide impacts of the BDR implementation.
Conducting semi-structured interviews with a diverse range of key stakeholders to assess attitudes, perceptions and implementation issues associated with the BDR.
Ethics approval will be obtained from the Department of Health and Menzies School of Health Research Human Research Ethics Committee, and the Central Australia Human Research Ethics Committee.
Research questions
What is the impact on individuals and their extended kinship/social networks placed on the BDR; in terms of treatment requirements, attitudinal and behavioural changes, including levels and types of substance use?
In what ways does the BDR affect an individual’s interaction with health and justice systems, including serious outcomes like Emergency Department presentations, offences and STI notifications?
How does the BDR impact on community, such as police-recorded offences, ED and hospital admissions, child protection notices, and also cultural values, political resonance, and social cohesion?
What is the impact of the BDR on individuals issued with a Banned Drinker Order on the Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) treatment and rehabilitation sector, including numbers seeking treatment; treatment types; “success” rates; and implications for staff capacity building and training?