Our main objectives are to:
- promote improved health and wellbeing by reducing harm related to alcohol and other drugs
- reduce risky behaviours related to alcohol consumption, with a particular focus on young people
- reduce risky behaviours related to drug use, with a focus on injecting drug use and methamphetamine use
- increase the capacity of health professionals, researchers, policymakers and the general community through education and training to achieve a reduction in harms related to alcohol and other drugs in Australia and globally.
We apply behavioural and clinical research, evidence-based treatment practices, and community-based approaches to address the health and social impacts related to substance use.
Our team conducts leading research into alcohol and other drug use-related harms. We work with a variety of at-risk populations, including young people and people who inject drugs.
Burnet’s alcohol and other drug research focuses on:
- documenting the trajectories of alcohol and other drug use and key intervention points to reduce harm
- developing innovative studies to improve our understanding of patterns of alcohol and other drug use in the community
- developing, implementing and evaluating new interventions to reduce alcohol and other drug-related harms.
Together, here are some of the ways we've made a positive impact in reducing harm related to alcohol and other drug use:
- brought together partners from research institutes, universities and community-based organisations across the country to establish the Centre for Research Excellence into Injecting Drug Use (CREIDU). It aims to increase our knowledge about injecting drug use, so we can identify ways to improve policy and practice to reduce the severity of health and social outcomes associated with injecting drug use
- continue to suport our ongoing study – SuperMIX, Australia’s largest and longest-running cohort study of people who inject drugs. Since 2008, SuperMIX has focused on participants’ drug use, including periods of cessation and relapse, to inform the design of new services and interventions
- surveyed over 16,000 young people aged between 15 and 29 about sexual behaviours, alcohol and other drug use, pornography use, social media and mental health. We’ve learnt a great deal about the types and prevalence of risk behaviours among young people from these surveys and can monitor changes in these over time.
participants in SuperMIX, Australia’s largest and longest-running cohort study of people who inject drugs.
young people aged between 15 and 29 years we have surveyed about sexual behaviours, alcohol and other drug use, pornography use, social media and mental health.
People we have recruited into a study looking at ways to support people with drug use histories to avoid re-incarceration.
is the sample target for the first cluster randomized controlled trial of a culturally inclusive, school-based alcohol and drug prevention program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth.
Working Groups
Burnet is an Australian-based medical research and public health institute and international non-government organisation that is working towards a more equitable world through better health.
Alcohol and Other Drugs Group
Co-Heads: Professor Paul Dietze and Associate Professor Peter Higgs. Alcohol and other drug use is a...
Young People's Health Group
Head: Associate Professor Megan Lim. The Young People’s Health research group is working to improve ...