The Western Plains region of NSW faces alarmingly high rates of drug and alcohol abuse, prompting Charles Sturt University to partner with the Western NSW Local Health District and local communities to combat the crisis.

The Rural Applied Drug and Alcohol Research group (RADAR) was formed as a result of extensive research into the rising ates of drug and alcohol misuse within western NSW.

RADAR aims to address the region's critical challenges, including limited access to treatment, stigma, transportation issues, and resource shortages.

By focusing on the unique complexities of rural areas, RADAR is working to reduce substance-related deaths and build healthier communities.

According to statistics provided by NSW Health, there was at least 18 deaths per 100,000 people in NSW due to alcohol use between 2020 and 2021.

Within this, the Far West Local Health District (LHD) and Western NSW LHD experienced the highest death rates during this period, with 33.9 and 25.7 deaths per 100,000 population, respectively.

Charles Sturt School of Rural Medicine Director Research and Evaluation Dr Catherine Keniry welcomes input to research from Western Plains community members.

Charles Sturt School of Rural Medicine Director Research and Evaluation Dr Catherine Keniry told Western Plains App that our region was of particular interest to the research.

“When we were founded, we decided we would get up try and get some funding to very specific research,"she said.

"The first aim was to do a strategic analysis of all of the drug and alcohol services that are being delivered across western New South Wales Local Health District.

"To do this we were looking at an audit of all of LHD data and other data points to see who are the people that are accessing those services, and the main drug abuse,” Dr Keniry said.

“After that, we're surveying all of the staff that work across the LHD in drug and alcohol services, and then following on from that survey and information that we came from that we're actually calling focus groups with those specific staff to understand from them what are the barriers and facilitators to access for patients that are meeting to access these services.”

“The aim of that project is to really understand what the issues are - who is accessing services, what services are doing well and what services are not doing well, and therefore, what further research can we do to improve the services.”

The RADAR project was launched this week in Dubbo and Dr Keniry said it was all about trying to get more people aware of the significant issues of drug and alcohol across western NSW.

“It's the first time we're actually promoting it more broadly.

"We have set ourselves up with a really great group of people we've got a lived experience representing women on the community as well,” she said.

Dr Keniry said the research team welcome anyone interested in discussing research or issues, or if they have any lived experience, they'd like to share they can get in touch on ckeniry@csu.edu.au.