TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2022//
TI  - Why are some male alcohol misuse disorder patients high utilisers of emergency health services? An Asian qualitative study
JO  - International journal of environmental research and public health
A1  - Goh, Pamela
A1  - Md Amir Ali, Lina Amirah Binte
A1  - Ou Yong, Donovan
A1  - Ong, Gabriel
A1  - Quek, Jane
A1  - Banu, Halitha
A1  - Wu, Jun Tian
A1  - Mak, Charles Chia Meng
A1  - Mao, Desmond Renhao
SP  - e10795
EP  - e10795
VL  - 19
IS  - 17
N2  - BACKGROUND: Certain alcohol misuse patients heavily utilise the Emergency Department (ED) and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and may present with intoxication or long-term sequelae of alcohol misuse. Our study explored reasons for repeated ED/EMS utilisation and sought to understand perpetuating and protective factors for drinking. <br><br>METHODS: Face-to-face semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted. Participants were recruited from an ED in Singapore. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and underwent manual thematic analysis. Emergent themes were independently reviewed for agreement. Data from medical records, interview transcripts, and field notes were triangulated for analysis. <br><br>RESULTS: All participants were male (n = 20) with an average age of 55.6 years (SD = 8.86). Most were unemployed (75%), did not have tertiary education (75%), were divorced (55%), and had pre-existing psychiatric conditions (60%) and chronic cardiovascular conditions (75%). Reasons for utilisation included a perceived need due to symptoms, although sometimes it was bystanders who called the ambulance. ED/EMS was preferred due to the perceived higher quality and speed of care. Persistent drinking was attributed to social and environmental factors, and as a coping mechanism for stressors. Rehabilitation programs and meaningful activities reduced drinking tendencies. <br><br>CONCLUSION: ED/EMS provide sought-after services for alcohol misuse patients, resulting in high utilisation. Social and medical intervention could improve drinking behaviours and decrease overall ED/EMS utilisation.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1661-7827
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710795
ID  - ref1
ER  -