Reducing alcohol related harm among youth in

1
Reducing alcohol related harm among youth in
Østfold, Norway

• Presentation for the 3rd AER Alcohol Peer Review
• Valencia 17.09. 2008
• Trond Dyrseth

2
About Østfold

• 4184 km2
• 265 450 inhabitants
• 18 municipalities
• 5 towns, 13 rural
• WHO Healthy Cities member

3
The Public Health Programme

• Partnership
• Public health chain
• Holistic thinking around health

4
The Public Health Programme

• Cross-sector collaboration
• Develop and test practical methods
• Mobilise action, build capacity and document the
  effect

5
Alcohol and youthin Norway

• Dramatic increase in consumption
• 1990 3 liters
• 2007 4,8 liters
• Last 10 years 30 general 60 youth
• Boys drink more than girls
• Average debut age 14,5 - 15
• Early debut, more consumption later
• Sources SIRUS (Norwegian Institute for Alcohol
  and Drug Research), ESPAD 1995, 1999

6
Alcohol and youthin Østfold

• National trends are in general reflected
• Lack of data sources on local level
• Differences between municipalities and areas?
• Towns-rural
• Number of organised activities

7
2006 Survey Sarpsborg high schools

• Majority never tried or tried a few times
• 7 1-3 times pr month, 2 weekly
• Fewer used alcohol compared to 2003
• Availability is high
• Most effective measures
• Parents present
• Picked up by parents
• Parents wait up or wake up

8
Youth survey 2008

• 32 schools
• 1500 pupils 15-16 years
• Comprehensive - 15 subject areas
• Alcohol, drugs and smoking

9
Local measures to reduce alcohol related harm

• Municipalities responsible
• Variety of preventive actions
• Youth clubs
• Organised activity
• Educational programs
• Parents important
• Actively target risk groups

10
The Youth Patrol in Askim

• Initiative taken by the municipality
  administration
• Cooperative effort - cross institutional
• Prevent drug and alcohol use and related crime
  among youth
• Later debut - lower consumption

11
The Youth Patrol

• Meet youth in risk groups where they are in the
  streets, clubs at parties etc.
• Police, parents, healthcare professionals, child
  welfare officers

12
The Youth Patrol- Goals

• Inform and empower young people to make choices
• Contribute to a later drinking debut
• Reduce crime among youth
• Achieve greater understanding of the problem
• Coordinate measures and cross institutional
  cooperation

13
Target group

• Youth aged 13-18
• Risk groups

14
How?

• Actively seek out youth groups
• Youth clubs, downtown, private parties
• Friday nights
• Places with higher risk of exposure to
  drugs/alcohol and attracting young people that
  need monitoring

15
Evaluation (preliminary)

• Participants positive
• 50 less violence in one year(!)
• Effective and visible cooperation
• Visible police
• Contact with police
• Child welfare officers work preventive
• Learn from eachother
• Better cooperation

16
Summary

• Alcohol consumption among youth is increasing
• Availability is high
• Drinking, violence and crime is linked
• Organised activities are vital
• Effective preventive measures promote cooperation
  and actively going out to youth
• Involving parents is important