Effects of backpacking holidays in Australia on alcohol, tobacco and drug use of UK residents

Abstract

BackgroundWhilst alcohol and drug use among young people is known to escalate during short holidays and working breaks in international nightlife resorts, little empirical data are available on the impact of longer backpacking holidays on substance use. Here we examine changes in alcohol, tobacco and drug use when UK residents go backpacking in Australia.MethodsMatched information on alcohol and drug use in Australia and the UK was collected through a cross sectional cohort study of 1008 UK nationals aged 18–35 years, holidaying in Sydney or Cairns, Australia, during 2005.ResultsThe use of alcohol and other drugs by UK backpackers visiting Australia was common with use of illicit drugs being substantially higher than in peers of the same age in their home country. Individuals showed a significant increase in frequency of alcohol consumption in Australia compared to their behaviour in the UK with the proportion drinking five or more times per week rising from 20.7% (UK) to 40.3% (Australia). Relatively few individuals were recruited into drug use in Australia (3.0%, cannabis; 2.7% ecstasy; 0.7%, methamphetamine). However, over half of the sample (55.0%) used at least one illicit drug when backpacking. Risk factors for illicit drug use while backpacking were being regular club goers, being male, Sydney based, travelling without a partner or spouse, having been in Australia more than four weeks, Australia being the only destination on their vacation and drinking or smoking five or more days a week.ConclusionAs countries actively seek to attract more international backpacker tourists, interventions must be developed that target this population's risk behaviours. Developing messages on drunkenness and other drug use specifically for backpackers could help minimise their health risks directly (e.g. adverse drug reactions) and indirectly (e.g. accidents and violence) as well as negative impacts on the host country.

Alcohol, drogas, sexo y violencia: riesgos y consecuencias para la salud entre los jóvenes turistas británicos en las Islas Baleares

“…El cuestionario se elaboró partiendo de herramientas validadas de antemano para estudiar el comportamiento en vacaciones 14,27 . Para medir los niveles de consumo de alcohol, se preguntó a los participantes cuán-tos días de vacaciones habían estado borrachos y, en consecuencia, la embriaguez fue definida por ellos.…”

“…Se indicó a los encuestadores que se dirigiesen a todos los individuos de edades comprendidas entre los 16 y los 35 años, que viajasen sin niños ni familiares mayores y que fuesen a coger vuelos de regreso a Gran Bretaña. En cada lugar se estableció una muestra de observación de 500 participantes, sobre la base de estudios previos 14,27 . La encuesta formó parte de un estudio más extenso que incluía turistas alemanes y españoles en ambas ubicaciones.…”

“…The questionnaire was developed from prevalidated tools for surveying holiday behaviour. 14,27 To gain a measure of levels of alcohol use, participants were asked to identify on how many days of their holiday they considered themselves to have been drunk, and consequently drunkenness was self-defined. For alcohol and drugs, current use in the UK was defined as having used in the last 12 months.…”

“…Whilst they are the focus of much prevention work in the UK, relatively little information is available to inform prevention in international holiday resorts, where young people can take the greatest risks with their health. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 1033 British holidaymakers aged [16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35]. Surveys covered frequency of alcohol and drug use at home and abroad, and drunkenness, sexual activity and experience of a range of negative experiences on holiday.…”

Exploring the Role of Facebook in Re-Shaping Backpacker’s Social Interactions

“…The highly social and experiential nature of backpacking can lead to the posting and discovery of unflattering activities. These may be depictions in the form of photos or other content of general drunken behaviour, cultural ineptitude or more extreme behaviours such as documented drug use or vandalism (Bellis et al, 2007;Cohen, 1973;Paris & Teye, 2010;Riley, 1988).…”