It Pays to Ask Twice: Alcohol Consumption Amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Who Self-Reported Not...

It is important that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who experience worries from alcohol use are linked with support. Screening is important to help link people to support. However, individuals may not freely report consumption, especially if they perceive discrimination or drink less than others. Here we report on the use of a 'check question' asking about alcohol consumption on special occasions.

We analysed data from an urban and remote community in South Australia, collected between July and October 2019. Participants who self-reported not drinking alcohol were then asked, using a check question, if they had consumed any alcohol, including on special occasions. We explored the link between alcohol consumption and demographics using linear regression models. We used logistic regression to identify differences between individuals who did and did not initially self-report alcohol consumption.

A total of 775 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples participated. By using a check question, we identified 20 individuals who then self-reported alcohol consumption in the previous 12-months. They reported a median consumption of 5.4 standard drinks per occasion, had a lower AUDIT-1 score and reported more consecutive days not drinking alcohol.

A check question in an alcohol survey tool was useful to identify individuals who do occasionally drink alcohol. Improving how screening tools ask about alcohol consumption is important to help people feel more comfortable and understand that the questions also apply to occasional drinking. This could help with collecting accurate data to inform prevention, treatment and policy efforts.