SimDrink: Using simulation modelling to perform alcohol policy experiments
Acute harms experienced by young, heavy alcohol drinkers, such as verbal aggression, being sick from drinking too much or having difficulty getting home after a night out are topics of significant public health concern. Although policies are often proposed to minimise these harms, there is rarely any evidence available to support their effectiveness.
Objective
Computer-based simulation models have been found to be effective, cutting-edge research tools. They are increasingly being used to compare hypothetical policies to help decide what is likely to be the most effective and why this is the case.
‘SimDrink’ is a simulation model of a population of 18-25 year olds engaging in heavy sessional drinking on a night out in Melbourne.
It has been purposefully designed to provide a means for conducting alcohol policy experiments to inform policy decisions.
Timeline
2015–2017.
Partners
Collaborators
- Dr Michael Livingston, Centre for Alcohol Policy Research
- James Wilson, National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University
- Dr Aaron Hart, National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University
- Professor David Moore, National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University
Project contacts
Associate Professor Nick Scott
Head, Modelling and Biostatistics
Project team
Professor Paul Dietze
Program Director, Disease Elimination; Professor and Program Leader, National Drug Research Institute (NDRI)