Trends in emergency department visits related to acute alcohol consumption before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, 2018-2020.
Drug Alcohol Depend Rep
; 3: 100049, 2022 Jun.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1757261
ABSTRACT
Background:
Excessive drinking accounts for more than 95,000 deaths annually in the United States. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic-related factors (e.g., social, economic, policy) may have affected alcohol consumption. Emergency department (ED) visits involving acute alcohol consumption (referred to as "alcohol-related") are a useful indicator for assessing changes in alcohol-related harms.Methods:
The 2018-2020 National Syndromic Surveillance Program data, which include nonfatal ED visits from facilities in 49 states and Washington, DC, were analyzed. Trends in the number of alcohol-related ED visits among people ≥15 years, and weekly alcohol-related ED visit rates (per 10,000 total visits) overall, by demographic characteristics, and quarter (Q) were assessed. Quarterly rates for 2018 and 2019 were averaged to increase baseline data stability.Results:
Alcohol-related visits accounted for 1.6% of 60,474,770 total visits (2018), 1.7% of 61,564,380 total visits (2019), and 1.8% of 52,174,507 total visits (2020). The number of alcohol-related ED visits generally increased during the first eight months of 2018 and 2019. However, it sharply declined at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-March-mid-April 2020, before resuming pre-pandemic patterns. Alcohol-related ED visits per 10,000 were higher during quarters in 2020 than corresponding quarters in 2018-2019 (Q1 +7.3%, Q2 +23.8%, Q3 +9.7%, Q4 +6.5%).Conclusions:
Alcohol-related ED visit rates per 10,000 total visits increased during 2020 versus 2018-2019, with the greatest relative difference in the second quarter. Fewer people sought ED care in 2020 than 2018-2019 but alcohol-related visits declined to a lesser extent than total visits.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Language:
English
Journal:
Drug Alcohol Depend Rep
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
J.dadr.2022.100049
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