holiday in australia

[almaty 19]

[almaty 19]

Alcohol-caused death rates decline but hospitalisations keep on rising

NOTE: Electronic copy of NAIP Bulletin 12 available at http://ndri.curtin.edu.au/research/naip.cfm

The number of Australians hospitalised for preventable injuries and illnesses caused by risky drinking has risen by a third in a decade, and there are indications that this trend is set to continue, putting huge pressure on the healthcare system, now and in the future.

New research from the National Drug Research Institute (NDRI) found that alcohol continues to be a major preventable cause of death, injury and disease for many Australians. Risky or high risk alcohol consumption caused the death of 32,696 Australians aged 15 and older in the 10 years from 1996 to 2005, and 813,072 Australians were hospitalised due to alcohol-caused injury and disease over the same period.

While the death rate due to alcohol has declined in most regions, the number of hospitalisations from alcohol-caused injury and disease has risen substantially in every state and territory. The major cause of alcohol-attributable death was alcoholic liver cirrhosis and the leading cause of hospitalisations was alcohol dependence.

NDRI Associate Professor Tanya Chikritzhs said that the most significant increases in rates of alcohol-caused hospitalisations occurred in Victoria, NSW, ACT and Tasmania. In the larger of these states, deregulation of the liquor industry has substantially increased access to alcohol over the last decade, including dramatic increases in numbers of outlets and more 24-hour and late opening venues. States with tighter controls on access to alcohol such as Western Australia and Queensland fared better.

Professor Chikritzhs said there were several reasons why alcohol-attributable death rates were decreasing while hospitalisation rates were increasing, including improved screening and treatment for alcohol-caused illnesses, and also that the most common conditions that put people in hospital (such as alcohol dependence, falls and assault) were different to those which more frequently resulted in death (such as alcoholic liver cirrhosis, road crash injury, stroke and cancer).

“Every week, on average, risky or high risk drinking is killing more than 60 Australians and putting another 1,500 people – the equivalent of a small town – in hospital, due to injury or disease that is entirely preventable”, said Professor Chikritzhs.

The research is the twelfth bulletin from the National Alcohol Indicators Project (NAIP) which monitors and reports on trends in alcohol-related harm in Australia. The ongoing project, funded by the National Drug Strategy and completed by NDRI, based at Curtin University of Technology in Perth, arose from increasing concern over levels of alcohol-related harm in the Australian community, and the need for an efficient monitoring system on alcohol.

Further Information:

Associate Professor Tanya Chikritzhs

Associate Professor, National Drug Research Institute

Curtin University of Technology

Phone: 61 (0)8 9266 1609

Mobile: 0408 426420

Professor Steve Allsop

Director, National Drug Research Institute

Curtin University of Technology

Phone: 61 (0)8 9266 1600

Mobile: 0407 967 964

Rachael Lobo

Communications Officer, National Drug Research Institute

Curtin University of Technology

Phone: 61 (0)8 9266 1627

Mobile: 0414 682 055

Vic Rechichi

Communications Officer, National Drug Research Institute

Curtin University of Technology

Phone: 61 (0)8 9266 1627

Mobile: 0414 682 055

David Mountain

AMA WA Emergency Department Spokeperson, AMA

Phone: 08 9273 3018

Mobile: 0411 746 418

Background:

NOTES FOR EDITORS

STATE-BY-STATE INFORMATION

Australian Capital Territory

The Australian Capital Territory is the only jurisdiction where the rate of alcohol-caused deaths increased over the past decade, up by 12%. By comparison, deaths rates dropped by a quarter nationally and deaths caused by something other than alcohol or tobacco rose by only 8% in the ACT. The actual number of deaths rose from 39 to 54. Alcohol-attributable hospitalisation rates also rose in all age groups, up 64% overall. The actual number of people hospitalised rose from 541 to 1,000.

Queensland

In Queensland, the rate of increase in alcohol-caused hospitalisations was below the national average, rising by 20 percent in 10 years, with the actual number of hospitalisations increasing from 14,997 to 21,601. However, Queensland still exceeds the national rate of alcohol-caused hospitalisations in Australia, with 69 people per 10,000 being hospitalized in 2005 compared with a national average of 62 per 10,000. The estimated number of deaths caused by alcohol dropped from 693 to 624 over the decade.

New South Wales

In New South Wales, alcohol-caused hospitalisation rates increased by 27 percent over a decade, with the actual number of hospitalisations increasing from 24,728 to 35,203. The number of alcohol-attributable deaths decreased from 1,199 to 1,031.

Northern Territory

In the Northern Territory, deaths due to alcohol are frequent and remain relatively unchanged, from 98 a decade ago to 88. Hospitalisation rates for alcohol-attributable injury and disease have more than doubled, rising by 59%. The actual number of people hospitalised rose from 1,176 to 2,173.

South Australia

In South Australia, the estimated number of alcohol-caused deaths fell from 311 to 283 over the decade. South Australia has the second lowest rate of alcohol-caused hospitalisations in the country, with 53 people per 10,000 being hospitalized in 2005 compared with a national average rate of 62 per 10,000. Even so, the rate of increase in alcohol-caused hospitalisations was 22 percent, rising from 5,100 to 6,756 over the decade.

Tasmania

In Tasmania, alcohol-caused hospitalisation rates increased sharply by 58 percent over a decade, with the actual number of people hospitalised increasing from 1,342 to 2,262. The rate of alcohol-caused deaths dropped by 15 percent over the period, with the actual number of alcohol-attributable deaths decreasing from 111 to 106.

Victoria

In Victoria, whilst the number of deaths dropped from 724 to 668 and the state maintained the lowest rate of alcohol-attributable deaths, it recorded the largest increase in hospitalisation rates in Australia over the decade. The number of people hospitalised due to alcohol caused injury or illness jumped from 11,571 to 23,144, with the rate of hospitalisations increasing by 77 percent. The number of licensed premises in Victoria increased from 2,000 to 24,000 over the same period.

Western Australia

In Western Australian the alcohol-caused hospitalisation rate increased by around 15 percent over the decade - the lowest percentage increase in Australia at about half the national level. By comparison, the rate of non-alcohol caused hospitalisations increased by 40 percent in the state over the same period. The actual number of hospitalisations rose from 6,832 to 9,137, and the estimated number of deaths caused by alcohol dropped from 331 to 289 over the decade.

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

The jack jumper ant, hopper ant, jumper ant or jumping jack, Myrmecia pilosula, is a species of bulldog ant that is native to Australia. The ants are recorded throughout the country, but are most often found in Tasmania, rural Victoria, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory and the southeast area of South Australia.

These ants are black or red and black, and may have yellow or orange legs, antennae and mandibles. They are 10-12 mm long. Their characteristic jumping motion when in an agitated state gave them their name. Their nests may be inconspicuously hidden under a rock, or may be formed from a 20 to 60 cm diameter mound of finely granular gravel.

As with many species of bulldog ants, jack jumper ants are usually solitary when they forage, though they live in colonies like most ants, and only workers forage. They are highly territorial; fights among jack jumper ants from different, and even the same, colonies are not uncommon.

Jack jumper ants are carnivores and scavengers. They sting their victims with venom that is similar to stings of wasps, bees, and fire ants. Their venom is one of the most powerful in the insect world. Jack jumper ants are proven hunters; even wasps are hunted and devoured. These ants have excellent vision, which aids them in hunting.

The symptoms of the stings of the ants are similar to stings of the fire ants. The reaction is local; swelling, reddening and fever, followed by formation of a blister. The heart rate increases, and blood pressure falls rapidly. In individuals allergic to the venom (about 3% of cases), a sting sometimes causes anaphylactic shock. Although 3% may seem small, jack jumper ants cause more deaths in Tasmania than spiders, snakes, wasps, and sharks combined.[1]

Treatment is very similar to wasp and bee stings. There is also an allergy immunotherapy program developed for jack jumper stings utilising their own venom.[2]

The jack jumper ant genome is contained on a single pair of chromosomes (males have just one chromosome as they are haploid), the lowest number known for any animal.[3]

link

[Ms. Squirrel 11]

[scandal 951]

i've gone from annoyed to slightly amused and extremely confused.....

does this happen to every thread? what ever happened to the fun things to do in sydney? and i'm referring to the city, not the exotic dancer.

Thread hijacking is considered the official past time for OT (Off Topic).

Basically, when you start a thread here you need to expect it to diverge onto wild tangents totally unrelated to your original subject.

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

Thread hijacking is considered the official past time for OT (Off Topic).

Basically, when you start a thread here you need to expect it to diverge onto wild tangents totally unrelated to your original subject.

utter nonsense.

btw, what would be a good stock market pick for early next week?

[spookyturtle 9,466]

strippers

"exotic dancers" damnit!

minimally clothed entertainers.

How about completely unclothed entertainers?

The jack jumper ant, hopper ant, jumper ant or jumping jack, Myrmecia pilosula, is a species of bulldog ant that is native to Australia. The ants are recorded throughout the country, but are most often found in Tasmania, rural Victoria, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory and the southeast area of South Australia.

These ants are black or red and black, and may have yellow or orange legs, antennae and mandibles. They are 10-12 mm long. Their characteristic jumping motion when in an agitated state gave them their name. Their nests may be inconspicuously hidden under a rock, or may be formed from a 20 to 60 cm diameter mound of finely granular gravel.

As with many species of bulldog ants, jack jumper ants are usually solitary when they forage, though they live in colonies like most ants, and only workers forage. They are highly territorial; fights among jack jumper ants from different, and even the same, colonies are not uncommon.

Jack jumper ants are carnivores and scavengers. They sting their victims with venom that is similar to stings of wasps, bees, and fire ants. Their venom is one of the most powerful in the insect world. Jack jumper ants are proven hunters; even wasps are hunted and devoured. These ants have excellent vision, which aids them in hunting.

The symptoms of the stings of the ants are similar to stings of the fire ants. The reaction is local; swelling, reddening and fever, followed by formation of a blister. The heart rate increases, and blood pressure falls rapidly. In individuals allergic to the venom (about 3% of cases), a sting sometimes causes anaphylactic shock. Although 3% may seem small, jack jumper ants cause more deaths in Tasmania than spiders, snakes, wasps, and sharks combined.[1]

Treatment is very similar to wasp and bee stings. There is also an allergy immunotherapy program developed for jack jumper stings utilising their own venom.[2]

The jack jumper ant genome is contained on a single pair of chromosomes (males have just one chromosome as they are haploid), the lowest number known for any animal.[3]

link

Tell us more about these jackoffs in Australia.

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

Tell us more about these jackoffs in Australia.

they make fire ants look like wimps. but not surprising, everything is bigger/better/faster in australia!

[almaty 19]

Aus. has no bad animals or people...

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Aus. has no bad animals or people...

Maybe just one?

[almaty 19]

aw brother boo is just very nationalistic....

[scandal 951]

Thread hijacking is considered the official past time for OT (Off Topic).

Basically, when you start a thread here you need to expect it to diverge onto wild tangents totally unrelated to your original subject.

utter nonsense.

btw, what would be a good stock market pick for early next week?

If I were you I'd put everything I had into shorting AUD/USD. Pile in at 100:1 margin on a retail FX site. You'll make a mint!