A new study says that 7.6 million emergency-room visits each year for illness or injuries are associated with alcohol, Reuters reported March 8. The Massachusetts General Hospital report said the figures are three times higher than originally believed because patients generally don’t talk with doctors about their drinking behavior. In addition, emergency personnel often miss signs of alcohol misuse. For the study, researchers analyzed information in a national database on hospital care from 1992-2000. During that time period, 68.6 million emergency-room visits were for injuries or illnesses caused by alcohol, averaging 7.6 million a year. That translates to 8 percent of all ER visits. “Although U.S. public-health officials recognize that emergency departments throughout the United States face an enormous burden from alcohol-related diseases and injuries, this study shows that the current literature significantly underestimates the magnitude of this burden,” the study said. The researchers recommended improving screening to identify alcohol-related cases so that patients could be referred to immediate treatment. The study is published in the March 8, 2004 issues of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Join Together Online, www.jointogether.org
The American Issue, January-March, 2004, Page 2