Emergency Department Visits for Underage Drinking
Teenagers and young adults under the age of 21 who drink are at an increased risk for developing an addiction to alcohol, and also are at a higher risk of struggling with certain problems, such as illicit drug use and violence. Each year the National Survey on Drug Use and Health gathers information about substance use across all age groups and provides insight into the trends in alcohol consumption among teens and young adults.
The NSDUH 2008 report combined with the Drug Abuse Warning Network (which documents emergency department visits related to drug abuse) provide valuable information about alcohol-related injuries. In 2008, NSDUH reported that 26.4 percent of all persons aged 12 to 20 had consumed alcohol in the past month, and 17.4 percent were binge drinkers.
The 2008 DAWN Report provided data on 188,981 alcohol-related emergency department visits for adolescents between 12 and 20 years of age. Of these visits, 70 percent involved alcohol only, while 30 percent involved other drugs in addition to alcohol. 57.3 percent of those visits that were for a combination of drugs and alcohol involved marijuana.
More males than females visited the emergency department for alcohol-related injury, at 58.6 percent. Approximately 60 percent of the visits were made by individuals aged 18 to 20.
Almost 20 percent of individuals treated in an emergency department for alcohol-related injury required some type of follow-up care, including admission to the hospital, transfer to another healthcare facility or referral to substance abuse treatment. About 12 percent of alcohol-only visits required follow-up, but when drugs were part of the problem, about 35 percent required follow-up.
The emergency department is a resource for identifying high-risk adolescents in danger of developing an alcohol or drug dependency. The findings of the DAWN report highlight the significance of underage drinking as a costly public health concern. It suggests the need for focused attention in this area to prevent underage drinking.
The DAWN data is useful in identifying the extent of alcohol-related problems for young people aged 12 to 20. It is encouraging to note that the majority of the emergency department visits did not result in follow-up care for the young person.
The report is also encouraging because it supports previous research showing the effectiveness of brief motivational interventions that take place in the emergency department. The individuals who require follow-up care may provide a target group for additional education about the dangers of substance addiction.
