The key indicators of drug-related harm in the health domain are hospitalisations, mortality and treatment service utilisation. Other indicators that are less robust have also been used including national syringe program data. All data has its limitations and it is important to consider these when examining the results.

In relation to drug-related hospitalisations:

·  For 2004-05 rates of tobacco-related hospitalisations were highest in the region for Corangamite shire, the city of Warrnambool and the Southern Grampians shire. These three LGAs also had the highest rates for tobacco-related bed days though in a different order (the city of Warrnambool had the highest rate). Importantly these three LGAs ranked in the top quarter of all Victorian LGAs. The city of Greater Geelong, Colac-Otway shire and the Barwon PCP show an upward trend over the three years for tobacco-related hospitalisations, while all other LGAs and PCPs of the region show a downward trend. The region has higher rates than the state overall: 100 per 10 000 residents (Barwon South Western region) compared to 89 per 10 000 residents (Victoria).
·  Similar to the tobacco-related hospitalisations for 2004-05, Corangamite shire and the city of Warrnambool had the highest rates of alcohol-related hospitalisations compared with other Barwon South Western LGAs, ranking in the top eighth of all Victorian LGAs. These two LGAs also had the highest rates for alcohol-related bed days. Rates of alcohol-related hospitalisations in Corangamite shire increased substantially over the three years and appear to be trending up overall for the region. Only Moyne shire showed a decrease across time. The regional rate is marginally lower than the state rate: 43 and 47 per 10 000 residents respectively, and marginally higher for bed days: 187 and 176 per 10 000 residents respectively.

·  The city of Warrnambool and Colac-Otway shire had the highest rates of illicit drug-related
hospitalisations and bed days in the Barwon South Western region, ranking in the top 15 per
cent of the state. The rate of illicit drug-related admissions generally decreased or remained stable over the three years, while the rate for illicit drug-related bed days decreased in all areas.

·  More men than women are hospitalised for tobacco- and alcohol-related conditions and occupy more bed days. This is consistent at the regional and state level. Illicit drug-related admissions show a majority are women in the cities of Greater Geelong and Warrnambool. This varies for illicit drug-related bed days, whereby Moyne shire and city of Warrnambool show a higher proportion of women.

·  Around half of tobacco-related hospitalisations and around 60 percent of bed days occurred in people who were 65 years and over for the region LGAs, the region and the state. The majority of illicit drug-related hospitalisations and bed days (except for Moyne shire) were of people under 35 years. In contrast the majority of alcohol-related hospitalisations and bed days were in the 35 and above category.

In relation to drug-related mortality:

·  Rates of tobacco-related mortality among residents at the state, region and constituent LGAs appear to be trending down (except for the city of Warrnambool). The region and local area rates appear higher than the state rate for tobacco-related deaths and years of life lost in 2004 (except for the Surf Coast shire). Alcohol-related deaths in the Barwon South Western region have fluctuated over time, years

·  The majority of tobacco- and alcohol-related deaths and years of life lost affected men. In relation to alcohol and drug treatment services:

·  Most courses of treatment delivered to residents of the Barwon PCP were for alcohol (38 per cent), followed by cannabis (31 per cent). Surf Coast shire deviated from this pattern with 55 per cent alcohol, and 19 per cent each for cannabis and heroin. For the South West PCP alcohol (54 per cent) and cannabis (26 per cent) also dominated. This pattern held for the constituent LGAs. Regarding the Southern Grampians-Glenelg PCP alcohol also dominated courses of treatment (37 per cent) followed by cannabis (18 per cent). Southern Grampians had a majority of courses of treatment for alcohol at 51 per cent. A similar pattern was evident for the Barwon South Western region in that alcohol and cannabis were the primary drugs of concern receiving most courses of treatment.

·  In total 3,951 courses of treatment were administered to the Barwon South Western region residents in 2004-05, accounting for eight per cent of the state total.

·  About half of all courses of treatment for the region and the state were delivered to persons aged between 20-34 years. The age distribution for the South West PCP was somewhat different compared with the region and state, showing fewer courses of treatment delivered to 20-34 year olds, and a greater proportion delivered to those 35 years and over. Two thirds of courses of treatment were delivered to males. These patterns varied according to primary drug of concern, for instance delivery of alcohol courses of treatment tended to be to those 35 years and over.

·  Counselling was the most common form of treatment provided to the region and the majority of LGAs. Exceptions to this were the Southern Grampians–Glenelg PCP.

·  The city of Greater Geelong accounted for 78 per cent of syringes distributed in the region.

·  The number of syringes distributed in the Barwon South Western region increased from 215,608 in 2001 to 444,634 in 2004.