Transforming alcohol and other drug use education through co-design

In 2021, around 275 million people used substances, an increase of 22% since 2010. Substance use can lead to significant harm, with an estimated 11.8 million deaths annually attributed mainly to opioid- related deaths. Substance use is also associated with hospitalisation from harms such as overdose, liver-related disease, injury and mental distress. As the largest workforce, nurses are well-positioned to help reduce the harms associated with substance use. However, they are often ill-prepared, as they receive little AOD education and can hold stigmatising views of people who use substances that reflect broader community stereotypes, causing people who use substances to avoid health services or discharge themselves from treatment prematurely.