Title |
Drinking to toxicity: college students referred for emergency medical evaluation
|
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Published in |
Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, June 2016
|
DOI | 10.1186/s13722-016-0059-4 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Sigmund J. Kharasch, David R. McBride, Richard Saitz, Ward P. Myers |
Abstract |
In 2009, a university adopted a policy of emergency department transport of students appearing intoxicated on campus. The objective was to describe the change in ED referrals after policy initiation and describe a group of students at risk for acute alcohol-related morbidity. A retrospective cohort of university students during academic years 2007-2011 (September-June) transported to local ED's was evaluated. Data were compared 2 years prior to initiation of the policy and 3 years after and included total number of ED transports and blood or breath alcohol level. 971 Students were transported to local ED's. The mean number of yearly transports 2 years prior to policy initiation was 131 and 3 years after was 236 (56 % increase, p < 0.01). 92 % had a blood or breath alcohol level obtained. The mean alcohol level was 193 mg/dL. Twenty percent of students had alcohol levels greater than 250 mg/dL. Adoption of a university alcohol policy was followed by a significant increase in ED transports of intoxicated students. College students identified as intoxicated frequently drank to toxicity. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United States | 2 | 40% |
Mexico | 1 | 20% |
Unknown | 2 | 40% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Members of the public | 4 | 80% |
Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 1 | 20% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Unknown | 20 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Bachelor | 5 | 25% |
Student > Master | 4 | 20% |
Researcher | 3 | 15% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 1 | 5% |
Other | 1 | 5% |
Other | 0 | 0% |
Unknown | 6 | 30% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Medicine and Dentistry | 5 | 25% |
Nursing and Health Professions | 3 | 15% |
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 1 | 5% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 1 | 5% |
Psychology | 1 | 5% |
Other | 1 | 5% |
Unknown | 8 | 40% |