@article{ref1,
title="Trends in emergency department visits related to acute alcohol consumption before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, 2018-2020",
journal="Drug and alcohol dependence reports",
year="2022",
author="Esser, Marissa B. and Idaikkadar, Nimi and Kite-Powell, Aaron and Thomas, Craig and Greenlund, Kurt J.",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="BACKGROUND: : Excessive drinking accounts for more than 95,000 deaths annually in the United States. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic-related factors (e.g., social, economic, policy) may have affected alcohol consumption. Emergency department (ED) visits involving acute alcohol consumption (referred to as &quot;alcohol-related&quot;) are a useful indicator for assessing changes in alcohol-related harms. <br><br>METHODS: : The 2018-2020 National Syndromic Surveillance Program data, which include nonfatal ED visits from facilities in 49 states and Washington, DC, were analyzed. Trends in the number of alcohol-related ED visits among people ≥15 years, and weekly alcohol-related ED visit rates (per 10,000 total visits) overall, by demographic characteristics, and quarter (Q) were assessed. Quarterly rates for 2018 and 2019 were averaged to increase baseline data stability. <br><br>RESULTS: : Alcohol-related visits accounted for 1.6% of 60,474,770 total visits (2018), 1.7% of 61,564,380 total visits (2019), and 1.8% of 52,174,507 total visits (2020). The number of alcohol-related ED visits generally increased during the first eight months of 2018 and 2019. However, it sharply declined at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-March-mid-April 2020, before resuming pre-pandemic patterns. Alcohol-related ED visits per 10,000 were higher during quarters in 2020 than corresponding quarters in 2018-2019 (Q1: +7.3%, Q2: +23.8%, Q3: +9.7%, Q4: +6.5%). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: : Alcohol-related ED visit rates per 10,000 total visits increased during 2020 versus 2018-2019, with the greatest percentage difference in the second quarter. Fewer people sought ED care in 2020 than 2018-2019 but alcohol-related visits declined to a lesser extent than total visits.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="2772-7246",
doi="10.1016/j.dadr.2022.100049",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dadr.2022.100049"
}