The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #57519

Norman A. Giesbrecht, PhD¹, Scott Macdonald, PhD², A. DeSouza², Cheryl J. Cherpitel, DrPH³, Guilherme Borges, ScD⁴, and Tim Stockwell, PhD⁵. (1) Addiction Research Foundation Site, Centre for Addiction & Mental Health, 33 Russell Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1, Canada, 416 535-8501 ext 6895, norman_giesbrecht@camh.net, (2) Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 100 Collip Circle, Suite 200, London, ON N6G 4X8, Canada, (3) Alcohol Research Group, 2000 Hearst Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94709, (4) National Institute of Psychiatry, Calzada Mexico Xochimilco No. 101, Col. San Lorenzo Huipulco C.P. 10610, Mexcio DF, Mexico, (5) National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University of Technology, Level 4, 679 Murray Street, West Perth Western Australia, Perth, 6005, Australia

Emergency room (ER) literature has mainly focused on associations of demographic and drinking characteristics with admission to the ER for accidental or violent conditions, and significantly less attention has been directed to patients with other conditions. This paper examines characteristics of patients admitted to the ER for alcohol withdrawal or overdose (alcohol medical group) and those presenting with respiratory, heart, stomach or other conditions (general medical group), contrasted to those admitted with injuries related to accidents and violence. Data analyzed include 30 emergency room samples in 7 countries. Significant differences emerged within the medical group on demographic variables, drinking patterns and BAC measures. The alcohol medical group was more likely to be male and married, and less likely to be employed compared to the general medical group, while those with accidental injuries were more likely to be male, younger, and employed, but with lower average income. A greater proportion of accident victims had a positive BAC compared to the general medical group, but were similar to respiratory admittees (11%), while those with violence-related injuries were more likely to have a positive BAC than all other groups. These findings suggest distinct differences between the alcohol medical and general medical groups, as well as substantial variation within the latter group. Future ER-based alcohol studies may wish to further explore differences among those medical patients seeking care in the emergency room in an effort to help inform the selection of the most appropriate control patients for comparative analyses with injured patients.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of this session the learner will be able to identify demographic and related differences among injured and medical patients seeking ER care in a number of countries.

Keywords: Alcohol Use, Emergency Department/Room

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.