Western Australia (Ngaanyatjarra) 1, 2, 9 A more detailed table, listing all of the 80 communities that have been included in one or more studies, and the occasions on which data has been collected, is at Appendix Three, Table 9-1. In this report, these 17 communities have been analysed as a subsample to examine trends in prevalence of petrol sniffing over the total period covered by the studies. Availability of LAF and RULP in sample communities In 2011, when this study began, LAF was available in 30 of the 41 communities (73.2%) being studied. By 2013 to 2014, the number had risen to 31 – the net gain of 1 being a result of two communities abandoning LAF in the intervening period and three new ones starting to stock it. Of the two outlets that stopped stocking LAF during the course of the study, one did so because of a perceived commercial disadvantage vis a vis another outlet, while the other case was a response to a belief in the community that LAF was harmful to boat engines. Table 44a: Availability of LAF and RULP in sample communities in 2013 to 2014 RULP available RULP not available LAF available 2 29 LAF not available 3 7 Table 44b: Total LAF availability in sample communities in 2013 to 2014 Total LAF available 31 LAF not available 10 Table 44c: Total RULP availability in sample communities in 2013 to 2014 Total RULP available 5 RULP not available 36 As Table 4-4a through to Table 4-4c show, in two communities where LAF was available in 2013 to 2014, RULP was also sold. By contrast, in seven communities neither LAF nor RULP was available. Data analysis Quantitative data relating to the 41 communities in the original study design were analysed by means of descriptive statistics, using statistical analysis package IBM SPSS Version 22. Qualitative data for the same sample were analysed by means of a combination of a priori themes derived from questions included in the Community
Sniffing prevalence in 17 communities from 2005 to 2014: key findings Prevalence of sniffing declined by 87.9% in 17 communities over the nine years since 2005 when the regional rollout of LAF commenced. The total number of people sniffing petrol has continued to fall over each period of data collection, which suggests that it is important to maintain a long term supply of LAF to get the full benefit at the community level. Trends in prevalence at the regional level are less steady because of the influence of individual communities. Within the overall decrease in prevalence the proportion of both ‘regular’ and ‘heavy’ sniffing has fallen between 2005 and 2014, while the proportion of ‘occasional’ sniffing has risen. This means that the damage done to individuals who sniff is likely to have lessened. Sniffing prevalence: 2011 to 2012 through to 2013 to 2014 This section presents the results of the data collection that took place between 2011 to 2012 and 2013 to 2014 in the sample of 41 communities. 54: Total number of people reported sniffing between 2011 to 12 and 2013 to 2014 (N=41 communities) Region 2011 population: 5 to 39 years 2011 to 2012: Number of people sniffing 2011 to 2012: Percentage of population sniffing 2013 to 2014: Number of people sniffing 2013 to 2014: Percentage of population sniffing Far North Queensland 3021 17 0.6% 26 0.9% Northern Territory (Barkly) 1650 37 2.2% 59 3.6% Northern Territory (Central Australia) 1325 17 1.3% 27 2.0% Northern Territory (East Arnhem) 1711 61 3.6% 20 1.2% Northern Territory (Katherine region) 1671 25 1.5% 16 1.0% Northern Territory (Top End) 1750 49 2.8% 18 1.0% Australia 987 11 1.1% 21 2.1% Western Australia (East Kimberley) 1524 1 0.1% 0 0.0%
sniffing sniffing 3 96 4 4.2% 115 1 1.0% 115 6 356 1 0.3% 290 2 0.6% 290 8 240 1 0.4% 150 5 2.1% 150 9 190 0 0.0% 190 10 5.3% 190 12 263 11 4.2% 450 4 1.5% 450 13 180 0 0.0% 270 5 2.8% 270 1325 17 1.3% 27 2.0% Table 54d: Northern Territory (East Arnhem): Total number of people reported sniffing between 2011 to 12 and 2013 to 2014 ID 2011 total 5 to 39 years 2011 to 2012: Number of people sniffing 2011 to 2012: of sniffing 2011 to 2012: Km to nearest RULP 2013 to 2014: Number of people sniffing 2013 to 2014: of sniffing 2013 to 2014: Km to nearest RULP 1 402 0 0.0% 360 0 0.0% 360 2 555 0 0.0% 18 7 1.3% 18 3 319 0 0.0% 42 6 1.9% 42 5 435 61 14.0% 20 7 1.6% 275 Total 1711 61 3.6% 20 1.2% Table 54e: Northern Territory (Katherine region): Total number of people reported sniffing between 2011 to 12 and 2013 to 2014 ID 2011 total 5 to 39 years 2011 to 2012: Number of people sniffing 2011 to 2012: of sniffing 2011 to 2012: Km to nearest RULP 2013 to 2014: Number of people sniffing 2013 to 2014: of sniffing 2013 to 2014: Km to nearest RULP 1 321 18 5.6% 110 6 1.9% 110 2 176 5 2.8% 80 1 0.6% 80 3 315 1 0.3% 100 3 1.0% 100 4 679 1 0.1% 214 4 0.6% 214 6 180 0 0.0% 33 2 1.1% 33 Total 1671 25 1.5% 16 1.0% Table 54f: Northern Territory (Top End): Total number of people reported sniffing between 2011 to 12 and 2013 to 2014
ID 2011 total 5 to 39 years 2011 to 2012: Number of people sniffing 2011 to 2012: of sniffing 2011 to 2012: Km to nearest RULP 2013 to 2014: Number of people sniffing 2013 to 2014: of sniffing 2013 to 2014: Km to nearest RULP 1 118 16 13.6% 288 8 6.8% 288 2 734 23 3.1% 200 9 1.2% 200 8 898 10 1.1% 35 1 0.1% Island Total 1750 49 2.8% 18 1.0% Table 54g: South Australia: Total number of people reported sniffing between 2011 to 12 and 2013 to 2014 ID 2011 total 5 to 39 years 2011 to 2012: Number of people sniffing 2011 to 2012: of sniffing 2011 to 2012: Km to nearest RULP 2013 to 2014: Number of people sniffing 2013 to 2014: of sniffing 2013 to 2014: Km to nearest RULP 1 184 5 2.7% 51 2 1.1% 51 2 203 0 0.0% 58 3 1.5% 58 5 291 2 0.7% 250 1 0.3% 250 6 309 4 1.3% 320 15 4.9% 320 Total 987 11 1.1% 21 2.1% Table 54h: Western Australia (East Kimberley): Total number of people reported sniffing between 2011 to 12 and 2013 to 2014 ID 2011 total 5 to 39 years 2011 to 2012: Number of people sniffing 2011 to 2012: of sniffing 2011 to 2012: Km to nearest RULP 2013 to 2014: Number of people sniffing 2013 to 2014: of sniffing 2013 to 2014: Km to nearest RULP 1 321 1 0.3% 280 0 0.0% 280 4 665 0 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 0 5 294 0 0.0% 206 0 0.0% 0 6 244 0 0.0% 0 0 0.0% 0 Total 1524 1 0.1% 0 0.0% Table 54i: Western Australia (Goldfields): Total number of people reported sniffing between 2011 to 12 and 2013 to 2014 ID 2011 total 5 to 39 years 2011 to 2012: Number of people sniffing 2011 to 2012: of 2011 to 2012: Km to nearest RULP 2013 to 2014: Number of people sniffing 2013 to 2014: of 2013 to 2014: Km to nearest RULP
sniffing from 2011 to 2012 sniffing from 2011 to 2012 from 2011 to 2012 sniffing from 2013 to 2014 sniffing from 2013 to 2014 sniffing from 2013 to 2014 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 6 4 10 10 6 4 10 0 0 0 11 7 0 7 14 2 16 Table 93b: Northern Territory (Barkly): Gender distribution of people sniffing petrol, by community, between 2011 to 2012 and 2013 to 2014 Please note: 1. Gender missing for 35 identified people sniffing in one NT Barkly community (Regional ID 5) from 2013 to 2014. ID males sniffing from 2011 to 2012 Total females sniffing from 2011 to 2012 Total sniffing from 2011 to 2012 Total males sniffing from 2013 to 2014 Total females sniffing from 2013 to 2014 Total sniffing from 2013 to 2014 2 2 0 2 0 0 0 3 8 2 10 0 0 0 4 14 0 14 12 12 24 5 5 6 11 - - 35 Table 93c: Northern Territory (Central Australia): Gender distribution of people sniffing petrol, by community, between 2011 to 2012 and 2013 to 2014 ID Total males sniffing from 2011 to 2012 Total females sniffing from 2011 to 2012 Total sniffing from 2011 to 2012 Total males sniffing from 2013 to 2014 Total females sniffing from 2013 to 2014 Total sniffing from 2013 to 2014 3 2 2 4 1 0 1 6 1 0 1 1 1 2 8 1 0 1 5 0 5 9 0 0 0 10 0 10 12 11 0 11 4 0 4 13 0 0 0 3 2 5 Table 93d: Northern Territory (East Arnhem): Gender distribution of people sniffing petrol, by community, between 2011 to 2012 and 2013 to 2014