Ralph W. Hingson, ScD, MPH, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Talbot 2W, Boston, MA 02118, 617 638-5161, rhingson@bu.edu

Objective: To calculate the annual percentage and number of Emergency Department visits in the United States that are alcohol-related and referred to alcohol counseling. Method: In 2001, at each of the 395 EDs in the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey 100 visits were sampled. A total of 34,546 visits were recorded, completion rate 85%.

Results: In 2001 of 94,589,648 first time ED visits, 35,358,989, 37% were injury related and of those 1,869,989, 5.3% were alcohol-related. Eleven percent (N=10,848,702) were admitted to a hospital, 29% (N=3,106,330) with injuries. Of injury hospital admissions, 10% were alcohol-related (N=310,140). One percent resulted in admission to the ICU/CCU (N=937,733). Sixteen percent were injury-related (N=151,974). Of those 36% (N= 53,984) were alcohol-related.

Only 12% of ED admissions for injuries associated with their own drinking were referred to alcohol or drug counseling. The more severe the alcohol-related injury the smaller the percentage referred. Only 2% of those hospitalized and none of those admitted to an ICU/CCU for an alcohol-related injury were referred to alcohol counseling.

Conclusion: Alcohol-related injury patients given brief interventions in EDs and ICUs reduce subsequent drinking and injury. Even though over 1.8 million ED visits are for alcohol-related injury, only 12% were referred for alcohol counseling. The more severe the injury the greater the percentage that were alcohol-related, but the smaller the percentage referred to treatment. Alcohol screening and brief interventions for persons admitted to EDs for injury need to be expanded.

Learning Objectives:

• Evaluate the number of alcohol-related emergency visits to hospitals in the U.S.
• Identify the amount of interventions to reduce alcohol-related injuries.
• Discuss the need for emergency departments to expand efforts to provide brief interventions and screenings for patients admitted with alcohol-related and/or substance abuse-related injuries.

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.