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The monitoring of drug trends in Australia
Author(s) -
SHAND FIONA,
TOPP LIBBY,
DARKE SHANE,
MAKKAI TONI,
GRIFFITHS PAUL
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
drug and alcohol review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.018
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1465-3362
pISSN - 0959-5236
DOI - 10.1080/0959523021000059848
Subject(s) - warning system , context (archaeology) , early warning system , risk analysis (engineering) , drug , information system , function (biology) , conceptual framework , data science , business , computer science , medicine , political science , geography , pharmacology , sociology , telecommunications , social science , archaeology , evolutionary biology , law , biology
Recently, there has been increased recognition of the importance of drug information systems (DIS), highlighting the need for an internationally coordinated approach to data collection and advocating the regular assessment of a range of areas. Accurate information provides policy makers with the evidence to evaluate current strategies and to plan future strategies. An effective drug information system (DIS) must collect comprehensive, detailed and in‐depth data, while also being sensitive to emergent trends and placing these changes into the context of longer‐term trends. An integrated and comprehensive system combines both sensitive (or lead) and slower but more reliable lag indicators. This article reviews conceptual frameworks for DIS and developments in international systems. It then considers the range of DIS in Australia and then describes two integrated monitoring systems with an early warning function: the Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS) and the Drug Use Monitoring Australia (DUMA) Programme. Both systems collate sensitive lead indicators, and provide timely information about emerging drug trends in Australia. Together, these two systems are best‐placed to provide effective early warning of new trends in illicit drug markets, and constitute an important component of the overall approach to the monitoring of drug use and associated harms in Australia.