The Burden of Alcohol-Related Emergency Department Visits in a Hospital of a Large European City

Autor: Hanna Cholerzyńska, Wiktoria Zasada, Tomasz Kłosiewicz, Patryk Konieczka, Mateusz Mazur
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2023
Předmět:
Zdroj: Healthcare, Vol 11, Iss 6, p 786 (2023)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 11060786
2227-9032
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11060786
Popis: (1) Alcohol consumption contributes to the development of numerous diseases and is a big organizational burden on emergency departments (EDs). (2) We examined data on alcohol-related ED admissions in Poznan, Poland between 1 April 2019 and 31 March 2022. A total of 2290 patients’ records were collected and analysed. The main goal was to determine the impact that these visits had on the functioning of the ED and the hospital. (3) The alcohol-related admission rate was significantly higher in males (78.95% vs. 21.05%), and the median blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level was 2.60 (1.78–3.38) ‰. Most of the visits took place at weekends and in the evening. Patients with higher BAC tended to stay longer in the ED, but had a lower chance of being admitted. A majority of patients required radiology and laboratory testing, 20.44% needed psychiatric examination, and 19.69% suffered trauma, mainly to the head. (4) Injuries and mental problems were the most common medical emergencies. This study presents trends in alcohol-related ED attendances, examines reasons for visits, and makes an attempt to assess overall burden on EDs.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals