Prevalence of alcohol problems among emergency room patients in Thailand.
OBJECTIVE
To determine prevalence rates of alcohol problems among emergency room patients.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional survey including patient interviews and record reviews. The questionnaire included the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test to screen for hazardous or harmful alcohol use (alcohol problems). It also contained questions regarding the chief complaint and factors precipitating the admission.


METHODS
Emergency rooms of three regional hospitals in Thailand.


METHODS
Consecutive emergency room admissions aged 14 and older, admitted from 18.00-02.00 h.


RESULTS
Risk factors for alcohol problems included male gender, age 20-49, higher monthly income, less than university graduate education status and admission to the northeast regional ER. Among non-trauma patients, those with alcohol-related diagnoses and certain gastrointestinal disorders had the highest rates of alcohol problems. Patients with transportation injuries were twice as likely, and those with assault-, fall-, or burn-related injuries were at least three times more likely to screen positive compared to the non-injured comparison group. The estimated overall prevalence rate of alcohol problems for this population, adjusted for age and diagnostic classification, was 0.39 for males and 0.08 for females.


CONCLUSIONS
Especially among patients with specified diagnoses, the emergency room is an ideal setting for implementing alcohol screening and intervention programmes in Thailand.
Lapham
S C
SC
Behavioral Health Research Center of the Southwest, Albuquerque, NM 87109, USA.
Skipper
B J
BJ
Brown
P
P
Chadbunchachai
W
W
Suriyawongpaisal
P
P
Paisarnsilp
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004630:Emergencies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology