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Health Promotion for Alcohol

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Health Promotion for Alcohol
POINT OF VIEW

Young people and alcohol misuse: how can nurses use the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion?

AUTHORS
Bernadette Ward RN, Midwife, Grad Cert Ed, MPHandTM, MHlth Sci Lecturer, Faculty of Health Sciences, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Australia. B.Ward@latrobe.edu.au Glenda Verrinder RN, Midwife, Grad Cert Higher Ed, Grad Dip Pub and Com Health, MHlth Sci Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Health Sciences, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Australia.

ABSTRACT
Alcohol misuse in Australia society is a community issue that can be addressed successfully within a health promotion framework. It is important that strategies are not perceived as ‘quick fixes’ but work toward addressing some of the underlying structural factors that contribute to the problem.

Objective The objective of this article is to demonstrate how nurses can use the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion framework in addressing alcohol misuse among young people. Primary argument The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion (1986) provides a useful framework from which to view the health of whole populations over their life course and in doing so work toward strengthening peoples’ health potential (World Health Organization 2005). The relevance of the Charter lies not only in the influence it has on establishing health promotion practice, but also the influence it has on health policy development and health research (World Health Organization 2005). Conclusion Parents and community members have an important role to play in addressing alcohol misuse among adolescents but they need to be supported by nurses who can provide care within a health promotion framework.

KEY WORDS alcohol, youth, Ottawa charter

AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING Volume 25 Number 4

114

POINT OF VIEW

INTRODUCTION
The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion (WHO 1986) has been ‘phenomenally influential in guiding the development of the concept of health promotion and shaping public health


References: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy. 2006. National Alcohol Strategy 2006‑2009. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia. Available from: http://www.alcohol.gov.au/internet/alcohol/ publishing.nsf/Content/nas‑06‑09 (accessed May 2008). Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, National Expert Advisory Committee on Alcohol. 2001. Alcohol in Australia: issues and strategies. A background paper to the National Alcohol Strategy: A Plan for Action 2001 to 2003/04. Canberra: Australia. Available from: http://www.health.gov.au/ internet/drugstrategy/publishing.nsf/Content/00701CF3C77 7718CCA2571790008D615/$File/alcohol_strategy_back.pdf (accessed May 2008). Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2008. 2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey: first results. Drug Statistics Series No 20, cat.no. PHE 98. AIHW: Canberra, Australia. Available from: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/10579 (accessed May 2008). Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). 2006. Australia’s health 2006. AIHW cat.no. AUS73. Canberra, Australia. Available from: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/ title/10321#full_publication (accessed May 2008). Editor. 2008. Confronting the demon of under-age alcohol abuse. The Age, 12 March, p.16, Fairfax: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Foxcroft, D., Ireland, D., Lister‑Sharp, D., Lowe, G., and Breen, R. 2003. Primary prevention for alcohol misuse in young people, The Cochrane Library, Oxford: UK. AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING Volume 25 Number 4 118 POINT OF VIEW Parliament of Victoria (Australia). Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee. 2004. Inquiry into Strategies to Reduce Harmful Alcohol Consumption. Discussion Paper. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Available from: http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/ dcpc/Reports/DCPC‑DiscussionPaper_Alcohol_2004‑10‑21.pdf (accessed May 2008). Shanahan, P. and Hewitt, N. 1999. Developmental Research for a National Alcohol Campaign. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. Available from: http://www.alcohol.gov.au/internet/alcohol/publishing.nsf/Cont ent/3E8AC9F060C5D877CA257261000EC925/$File/alcocamp. pdf (accessed May 2008). Talbot, L. and Verrinder, G. 2005. Promoting health: the primary health care approach (3rd ed). Elsevier: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Toumbourou, J., Duff, C. and Bamberg, J. 2003. Family intervention in the prevention of drug‑related harm. Prevention Research Evaluation Repor t, 7, 1‑14. Available from: http://www.druginfo.adf.org.au/downloads/Prevention_ Research_Quarterly/REP_No7_03Aug_Family_intervention.pdf (accessed May 2008). Toumbourou, J., Moodie, R., Eyre, J. and Harper, T. 2008. Set boundaries, set an example. The Age, 8 March, p.5. Fairfax: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Ward, B., Snow, P., Munro, G., Graham, M. and Dickson‑Swift, V. 2006. It starts with the parents and ends with the parents: the attitudes, knowledge and practices of metropolitan parents in relation to teenage alcohol use. Australasian College of Road Safety Journal, 17(3):20‑28. White, V. and Hayman, J. 2006. Australian secondary school students’ use of alcohol in 2005. The Cancer Council and the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. Available from: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/drugstrategy/ publishing.nsf/Content/85D7B21B3E3A993ECA25722500077 55F/$File/mono58.pdf (accessed May 2008). World Health Organization (WHO). 2005. Global health promotion scaling up for 2015: a brief review of major impacts and developments over the past 20 years and challenges for 2015. Paper presented at the 6th Global Conference on Health Promotion, Bangkok, Thailand. Available from: http://www.who. int/healthpromotion/conferences/6gchp/hpr_conference_ background.pdf (accessed May 2008). World Health Organization 2005. WMA Statement on reducing the global impact of alcohol on health and society, World Medical Association, France. World Health Organization. 1986. Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. Available at: http://www.who.int/hpr/NPH/docs/ ottawa_charter_hp.pdf (accessed May 2008). AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING Volume 25 Number 4 119
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