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Alcohol-related emergency room visits up 175% among young people, with women worst affected

There has been an enormous increase in alcohol-related visits to emergency departments, particularly among women, according to new research.

The study, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, is based on an analysis of 480,611 people who made 765,346 visits to hospital in Ontario between 2003 and 2016.

It shows that, among people aged 15–29, emergency visits are up 175%.

Visits by women in that age bracket are up 240%. Among men, the increase is 145%.

"These increases are consistent with data showing increasing average weekly alcohol consumption in Ontario and higher rates of binge drinking across Canada during the study period, particularly in women," said lead author Dr Daniel Myran.

<who> Photo credit: ICES

"Since 2007, the rates of emergency department visits due to alcohol by women under legal drinking age has surpassed that of underage men."

He added: "We need a better understanding of youth- and gender-specific risk factors for alcohol harms to curb these increases."

The highest rates of alcohol-related visits to emergency departments were in women aged 15–24 and men aged 45–54.

Neighbourhoods in the lowest income bracket had more than double the number of emergency visits related to alcohol than those in the highest income bracket.

Meanwhile women in hospital were much likelier to be under the legal age for drinking in Ontario (19) than men.

The data is consistent with analyses conducted in the US and England, where emergency alcohol-related hospital visits are also on the up.

"There may be an increasing need for supports and services for people, especially young people, with high-risk alcohol consumption, particularly in light of recent changes to how alcohol is sold in Ontario, including making alcohol cheaper and easier to purchase," said Dr Myran.

Writing in a related commentary, Dr Sheryl Spithoff – at the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Women's College Hospital, Toronto – said federal and provincial governments needed to “minimize harms”.

"Alcohol should be available for sale only within licensed and strictly monitored facilities with limited hours,” she said.

“Taxes and price minimums should be used to reduce alcohol-related harms. The increase in tax revenues could be used to fund essential provincial programs."



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