'Grog Survey' app suggests Indigenous Aussies may be less likely to drink than the general population

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2021-06-22 03:00

Australia; NSW; VIC; SA; WA; NT

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Aussie scientists asked Indigenous South Australians from two communities, one urban and one remote, to self-report their drinking habits via a smartphone app called 'Grog Survey'. They say 77 per cent of users reported current drinking, compared with 79.1 per cent among the general population. And the average number of drinking sessions per month across both groups was just 1.3 the researchers say, although the average number of standard drinks consumed during these sessions was above current Australian guidelines at 7.8 (around five full-strength beers). In general, urbanites preferred to drink spirits, while those in remote communities preferred beer, and were also more likely to abstain from alcohol altogether. Around three in four users reported dry periods spent without drinking, for an average of 60 days for men, and 90 days for women. And four in ten users reported drinking from non-standard containers, which can make it harder to track how many drinks you've consumed, the researchers add.