Abstract
There is a paucity of literature on the topic of sobering-up centres (non-custodial safe overnight accommodation for the publicly intoxicated). This paper presents findings of a retrospective longitudinal case study of a sobering-up centre in regional South Australia over the ten years 1991 to 2000. There were 6,486 admissions during this period, 97.1% of which were of Aboriginal people. We collated and analysed primary data including demographic details of admissions and re-admissions, and qualitative and quantitative measures of intoxication. The findings from this case study, considered together with contextual understandings from a wider social study in this region by three of the authors, provide supporting evidence of the important role of sobering-up centres in averting the known harms of a custodial response to public drunkenness, as well as avoiding the potential harm of alcohol-related injury among vulnerable Aboriginal people.
MeSH terms
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Adult
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Alcohol Drinking / adverse effects
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Alcohol Drinking / ethnology
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Alcohol Drinking / legislation & jurisprudence
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Alcohol Drinking / prevention & control
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Alcohol-Related Disorders / blood
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Alcohol-Related Disorders / ethnology
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Alcohol-Related Disorders / prevention & control
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Alcohol-Related Disorders / rehabilitation*
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Alcoholic Intoxication / blood
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Alcoholic Intoxication / ethnology
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Alcoholic Intoxication / prevention & control
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Alcoholic Intoxication / rehabilitation*
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Alcoholism / blood
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Alcoholism / ethnology
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Alcoholism / prevention & control
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Alcoholism / rehabilitation*
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Cohort Studies
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Custodial Care* / organization & administration
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Custodial Care* / statistics & numerical data
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Ethanol / blood
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Female
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Health Services, Indigenous / organization & administration
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Health Services, Indigenous / statistics & numerical data
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Humans
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Longitudinal Studies
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Male
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Middle Aged
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Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander* / ethnology
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Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander* / statistics & numerical data
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Patient Admission / statistics & numerical data
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Retrospective Studies
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Risk Factors
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Rural Population*
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Social Problems / prevention & control
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South Australia
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Substance Abuse Treatment Centers* / organization & administration
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Substance Abuse Treatment Centers* / statistics & numerical data
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Utilization Review
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Wounds and Injuries / blood
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Wounds and Injuries / prevention & control