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What is the burden of alcohol-related injuries in an inner city emergency department?

Hoskins, Rebecca; Benger, Jonathan

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Authors

Rebecca Hoskins Rebecca.Hoskins@uwe.ac.uk
Senior Lecturer in Advanced Practice

Jonathan Benger



Abstract

Background: The annual cost to the NHS of alcoholrelated injury and illness is estimated to be £2.7 billion. Alcohol-related violence has become a concerning public health issue. This study set out to establish the burden of alcohol-related violence in an inner city UK emergency department (ED). Methods: This single centre study was undertaken in the ED of the Bristol Royal Infirmary. This department serves an inner city population. An independent researcher administered a questionnaire to every patient who attended during the study period. A questionnaire was also administered to the treating clinician to ascertain the diagnosis, and whether the patient's attendance was related to alcohol use. Results: 14% (n=111) of participants felt that their attendance at the ED was related to alcohol. 11% of all injured patients felt it was due to alcohol consumption. 3% of patients attended with an alcohol-related illness. The treating clinicians reported that 21% of all patients in this study attended with a problem either directly or indirectly attributable to alcohol. Discussion: The number of attendances attributable to alcohol-related injury and illness was at least 14% of all patients. One third of patients presenting with an alcohol-related illness or injury required admission to hospital. If these figures are extrapolated, the number of patients presenting with alcohol-related injury is in excess of 7000 attendances to the Bristol Royal Infirmary annually, or nearly 2 million ED patients every year in England and Wales, resulting in 640 000 admissions. Copyright © 2013 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and the College of Emergency Medicine.

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Mar 1, 2013
Publicly Available Date Jun 8, 2019
Journal Emergency Medicine Journal
Print ISSN 1472-0205
Electronic ISSN 1472-0213
Publisher BMJ Publishing Group
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 30
Issue 3
DOI https://doi.org/10.1136/emermed-2011-200510
Keywords alcohol-related injuries, inner-city, emergency department
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/953573
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/emermed-2011-200510

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