Trends in emergency department visits related to acute alcohol consumption before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, 2018-2020.

Alcohol policy Alcohol use Alcohol-related injury Emergency department surveillance

Journal

Drug and alcohol dependence reports
ISSN: 2772-7246
Titre abrégé: Drug Alcohol Depend Rep
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 9918350383506676

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
Jun 2022
Historique:
received: 03 12 2021
revised: 03 03 2022
accepted: 24 03 2022
pubmed: 5 4 2022
medline: 5 4 2022
entrez: 4 4 2022
Statut: ppublish

Résumé

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. 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. 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%). 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.

Sections du résumé

Background UNASSIGNED
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 UNASSIGNED
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 UNASSIGNED
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 UNASSIGNED
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.

Identifiants

DOI: 10.1016/j.dadr.2022.100049 PMID: 35368619 PMC: PMC8957715
pubmed: 35368619
doi: 10.1016/j.dadr.2022.100049
pii: S2772-7246(22)00027-0
pmc: PMC8957715
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Pagination

100049

Informations de copyright

Published by Elsevier B.V.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

No conflict declared.

Auteurs

Marissa B Esser (MB)

Division of Population Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, MS-S107-6, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA.

Nimi Idaikkadar (N)

Division of Injury Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, MS-S106-8, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA.

Aaron Kite-Powell (A)

Division of Health Informatics and Surveillance, National Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2500 Century Blvd NE, MS-V25-3, Atlanta, GA, 30345, USA.

Craig Thomas (C)

Division of Population Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, MS-S107-6, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA.

Kurt J Greenlund (KJ)

Division of Population Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, MS-S107-6, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA.

Classifications MeSH