Effectiveness of Alcohol and Other Drug harm reduction approaches - downloads

Te Hiringa Mahara commissioned an alcohol and other drug literature review to provide an in-depth synthesis of evidence on what works to reduce harm from alcohol or other drugs. 

We are making available the full literature review, along with supporting documents, and a shorter Evidence brief that summarises the evidence and provides key takeaway messages for Aotearoa New Zealand.

The larger literature review examined international and Aotearoa New Zealand academic and grey literature. The focus is on post-2010 unless a study had specific relevance. 274 studies were included, of which 39 focus on Indigenous approaches. 

The assessment was on the highest level of evidence, where possible using systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Approaches outlined in the literature were appraised for effectiveness, cost effectiveness, and relevance to Aotearoa New Zealand. Not all studies could be included, so a diversity of evidence was used to illustrate key topics with a focus on providing the highest level of evidence where possible. 

This Evidence brief brings together key findings from the Literature review in a more accessible format. This provides an overview of both the context and a range of approaches. These are: regulating the supply of alcohol, drug treatment approaches, harm reduction approaches, legal models to support harm reduction, and indigenous approaches to harm reduction. This Evidence brief is not monitoring  of current services or service performance.  

No attempt is made to monitor current services or service performance. The information presented is a synthesis of evidence based on desktop research.