TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2004//
TI  - Alcohol-related emergency department visits among people ages 13 to 25 years
JO  - Journal of studies on alcohol
A1  - Ryan, George W.
A1  - Strife, Brian J.
A1  - Swahn, Monica H.
A1  - Shults, Ruth A.
A1  - Elder, Randy W.
SP  - 297
EP  - 300
VL  - 65
IS  - 3
N2  - OBJECTIVE: Data from a large, nationally representative sample of hospital emergency departments (EDs) were used to assess the prevalence and characteristics of alcohol-related ED visits among people ages 13 to 25 years in the United States. METHOD: Emergency department visits recorded in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury Program were coded for alcohol involvement based on alcohol product codes and abstractions of chart narratives. National estimates and confidence intervals were calculated using SUDAAN statistical software. RESULTS: Based on these chart data, in the United States in 2001 there were an estimated 244,331 alcohol-related ED visits among people ages 13 to 25 (3.2% of total visits). Of these, an estimated 119,503 (49%) involved people below the legal drinking age of 21. The number of alcohol-related visits increased throughout adolescence and young adulthood to the age of 21, after which they decreased to levels similar to those seen for 18 to 20 year olds. Alcohol-related visits were most frequent on weekends and among males and were more strongly associated with visits related to assault or self-harm than to visits for unintentional injuries or injuries of unknown intent. In this population, 38% of alcohol-related visits involved no external cause of injury (e.g., drinking to excess only). CONCLUSIONS: These data highlight the need for stronger efforts to delay initiation of alcohol use among adolescents as long as possible and to limit access to alcohol for underage drinkers.
LA  - 
SN  - 0096-882X
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -