Characteristics of family, friends, and significant others affected by another's alcohol or other drug use in Australia and correlates of help-seeking

Abstract

Background: Supporting families, friends, and significant others (hereafter 'families') affected by a loved one's (hereafter 'Person's') alcohol and drug (AOD) use can improve family wellbeing. However, little is known about families' help-seeking patterns. This study aimed to describe characteristics and explore correlates of accessing support among affected families.

Methods: An online cross-sectional survey conducted between September-2023 and August-2024 of N = 1756 English-speaking Australian residents, aged > 18, identifying as affected by a loved one's AOD use. Data collected included sociodemographics, psychological wellbeing indicators, and help-seeking, analysed using summary statistics and logistic regressions.

Results: Participants (1433/1569; 91.3 % female), were mostly partners (621/1756; 35.4 %). Seventy-one percent (1159/1633) were concerned about their Person's alcohol use, followed by methamphetamines (n = 210; 12.9 %). Participants reported being concerned about their Person's AOD use for a median of 9.5 years (SD=10.1). Fifty-four percent (816/1510) of participants (affected families) reported high-very high psychological distress, 22.7 % (345/1521) reported recent suicidal ideation, 14.8 % (192/1299) reported risky alcohol use and 19.7 % (257/1305) recently used illicit drugs. Participants who accessed specialised family-AOD support (419/1228; 34.1 %) were more likely older (65 +; Adj.OR=1.47; 95 %CI[1.03, 2.10]), less likely to reside with their Person (Adj.OR=0.72; 95 %CI[0.55, 0.96]) and to report their own risky drinking (Adj.OR=0.53; 95 %CI[0.35, 0.80]), and more likely to report their Person accessed AOD treatment (Adj.OR=1.85; 95 %CI[1.33, 2.56]).

Conclusions: The results highlight elevated distress, suicidality and substance use among affected families and their delayed access to predominantly non-specialised support. Greater investment in community-health campaigns and specialised services is required to ensure provision of timely and tailored support.

Keywords: Addiction; Caregiver; Cross-sectional survey; Family; Help-seeking; Substance use.