Project Title:

Using Rapid Assessment Procedures to Investigate the Impact of Injecting Drug Use Amongst Indigenous Australians in Metropolitan Adelaide.

Project Aims:

The aim of this project was to use Rapid Assessment Procedures (RAP) to undertake research to assess the practices of Aboriginal injecting drug users in metropolitan Adelaide. This project aimed to gather information about injecting practices and issues relating to Injecting Drug Use (IDU) that are important to the Aboriginal community.

Project Objectives:

A major component of the project was to utilise Peer Interviewers (Aboriginal people with experience of injecting drug use) to conduct a survey of Aboriginal people who inject drugs. The survey for this project was based on a previous survey that ADAC conducted in Murray Bridge. Information gathered during this project will be used to improve the available knowledge base on Indigenous IDU and inform further development of more appropriate responses and services.

Project Strategies:

The project was supported by a Community Advisory Committee, consisting of representatives from:

• The National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (NCETA)
• Nunkuwarrin Yunti (an Indigenous Health Service)
• SAVIVE (an IDU peer based program area of the AIDS Council of SA)
• The Parks Community Health Centre
• The Aboriginal Health Council; and
• The C Clearly (Hepatitis C) project.
  

Throughout the project ADAC has had continuing contact with the National Drug Research Institute (NDRI), who have been undertaking similar research in Western Australia.

The project is funded by The Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (OATSIH).

The project has been endorsed by The Aboriginal Health Council's Ethics Research Committee.

Project Status:

Concluded August 2003

Resources resulting from the project

During the early stages of the project it became evident that many Indigenous injecting drug users were unaware of the range of services and what they offered, so ADAC has produced a service directory in the form of a wallet sized foldout card (ADAC Help Card). The Help Card is based on a previous resource produced for newly released Indigenous prisoners as part of the ADAC Prison Project.

Updating the ADAC Hep C Poster occurred as a result of identifying a need within the Indigenous community for information on Hepatitis C.

ADAC have also produced a review of existing literature, documenting the major findings of research into Indigenous IDU and providing a picture of the main issues for Indigenous injecting drug users.

For further information please contact:

Scott Wilson
Director
Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council (SA) Inc.
53 King William Street
Kent Town, SA, 5068
Ph: +61 (08) 8362 0395
Email: adac@adac.org.au


This page last updated: November 2003