Australian Life in Recovery Survey

Turning Point Drug and Alcohol Centre and South Pacific Private are excited to conduct the first nationwide survey designed to document the lives of people in recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs in Australia. Anyone who considers themselves in recovery or have recovered from alcohol and other drugs problems is invited to complete the survey.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT?

While much is known about the many costs of addiction, we know very little about what happens in a person's life in recovery. We are gathering this information to inform the public, policymakers, service planners and providers and the recovery community about the milestones that people achieve in recovery.

WHAT DOES PARTICIPATION IN THIS PROJECT INVOLVE?

This anonymous survey takes about 20 minutes to complete and asks about your demographics, health and quality of life, substance use, treatment and recovery, recovery supports, life experiences in active addiction and recovery and questions about your social networks and identity.

Please be as accurate and honest as you can about what life was like for you in addiction and recovery, whether positive or negative.

WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE BENEFITS AND RISKS?

Information generated by the project will contribute to educating the public, governments and treatment services about recovery and to address help address stigma and discrimination of people in or seeking recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs.

There are no known risks associated with taking part in this project.

HOW WILL I BE INFORMED OF THE RESULTS OF THIS PROJECT?

The results of this project will be presented in reports and publications available from Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre (Eastern Health). You are welcome to contact the researchers at Turning Point if you would like information about the results.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE INFORMATION ABOUT ME?

All of your answers are completely confidential and anonymous. After 7 years, all data will be disposed by deletion of computer files by the Principal Researcher, or by Turning Point (Eastern Health) management.

IS THIS PROJECT APPROVED?

The ethical aspects of this project have been approved by the Eastern Health Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC). This project will be carried out according to the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007) produced by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. This statement has been developed to protect the interests of people who agree to participate in human research studies.

DO I HAVE TO TAKE PART?

You do not have to take part and can withdraw at any time. If you decide you want to take part in the project and complete the survey, you are telling us that you:

• understand what you have read
• consent to take part in the project
• consent to be involved in the procedures described
• consent to the use of your personal and health information as described.

NEED TO CONTACT US?

Please read this information carefully. If you have any questions about anything that you don’t understand or want to know more about the project please email Dr Michael Savic at michaels@turningpoint.org.au or Jock Mackenzie jockm@turningpoint.org.au call on 03 8413 8457.

If you have any complaints about any aspect of the project, the way it is being conducted then you can contact the Eastern Health Human Research Ethics Committee on 03 9895 3398.

THANKS SO MUCH!

Feel free to forward the link to this survey to others and encourage them to participate.