Citation

Wright SW, Norton VC, Dake AD, Pinkston JR, Slovis CM. South. Med. J. 1998; 91(10): 909-913.

Affiliation

Department of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tenn 37232-4700, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, Southern Medical Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

9786284

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: We reviewed demographic factors associated with alcohol-related disorders in undergraduates seen in the emergency department (ED) and determined the incidence of alcohol-related ED visits among undergraduates. METHODS: This prospective, observational study was done in a university-affiliated emergency department. Demographic variables and incidence of students with alcohol-related disorders were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 616 students seen in the ED during 1 academic year, 101 (16%) had an alcohol-related disorder. White students and freshmen were overrepresented. There were equal numbers of male and female students. The overall annual incidence for an alcohol-related visit among undergraduates was 1.7% per academic year. The incidence for freshmen was 2.9%. Four students were admitted; one died of a severe head injury. CONCLUSIONS: We estimate that 1 of every 15 undergraduates at our college comes to our ED with an alcohol-related problem during their 4-year college career. Younger and nonminority students were more commonly seen; there was no difference by sex. Serious outcomes included one death. This study probably underestimates the true incidence of alcohol-related disorders among students on campus.

Language: en