@article{ref1,
title="An intensive assessment of alcohol use and emergency department utilization in homeless alcohol-dependent adults",
journal="Drug and alcohol dependence",
year="2017",
author="Holtyn, August F. and Jarvis, Brantley P. and Subramaniam, Shrinidhi and Wong, Conrad J. and Fingerhood, Michael and Bigelow, George E. and Silverman, Kenneth",
volume="178",
number="",
pages="28-31",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Excessive alcohol use among the homeless may contribute to their high rates of emergency department use. Survey-based studies have provided some information on the relation between alcohol and emergency department use among the homeless. <br><br>METHODS: This study used an intensive schedule of random breath collections and self-report assessments to examine the relation between emergency department utilization and alcohol use in homeless alcohol-dependent adults. Data were from homeless alcohol-dependent adults (N=116) who were participating in a therapeutic workplace that provided job-skills training every weekday for 26 weeks. Breath-sample collections and assessments of self-reported alcohol use were scheduled each week, an average of twice per week per participant, at random times between 9:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. Participants received $35 for each breath sample collected. Self-reports of emergency department use were assessed throughout the study. <br><br>RESULTS: Thirty-four percent of participants reported attending an emergency department and reported an average of 2.2 emergency department visits (range 1-10 visits). Alcohol intoxication was the most common reason for emergency department use. Participants who used the emergency department had significantly more alcohol-positive breath samples and more self-reported heavy alcohol use than participants who did not use the emergency department. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: This study provided a rare intensive assessment of alcohol and emergency department use in homeless alcohol-dependent adults over an extended period. Emergency department use was high and was significantly related to indices of alcohol use.<br><br>Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0376-8716",
doi="10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.04.025",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.04.025"
}