TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2016//
TI  - Drinking to toxicity: college students referred for emergency medical evaluation
JO  - Addiction science and clinical practice
A1  - Kharasch, Sigmund J.
A1  - McBride, David R.
A1  - Saitz, Richard
A1  - Myers, Ward P.
SP  - e11
EP  - e11
VL  - 11
IS  - 1
N2  - BACKGROUND: In 2009, a university adopted a policy of emergency department transport of students appearing intoxicated on campus. The objective was to describe the change in ED referrals after policy initiation and describe a group of students at risk for acute alcohol-related morbidity. <br><br>METHODS: A retrospective cohort of university students during academic years 2007-2011 (September-June) transported to local ED's was evaluated. Data were compared 2 years prior to initiation of the policy and 3 years after and included total number of ED transports and blood or breath alcohol level. <br><br>RESULTS: 971 Students were transported to local ED's. The mean number of yearly transports 2 years prior to policy initiation was 131 and 3 years after was 236 (56 % increase, p < 0.01). 92 % had a blood or breath alcohol level obtained. The mean alcohol level was 193 mg/dL. Twenty percent of students had alcohol levels greater than 250 mg/dL. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Adoption of a university alcohol policy was followed by a significant increase in ED transports of intoxicated students. College students identified as intoxicated frequently drank to toxicity.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1940-0632
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13722-016-0059-4
ID  - ref1
ER  -