Hospital Use of Ethanol Survey (HUES): preliminary results.
Little information exists about alcohol use within health facilities. We sought to determine alcohol use and control in acute-care hospitals by mailing a questionnaire to a convenience sample of Pharmacy Directors of 24 hospitals in two regions. Of 23 responders, in-patient alcohol was dispensed by 21 (91%) within the last 5 years. Of these 21, both beverage and intravenous alcohol were dispensed by 13 (62%), only beverage alcohol by seven (33%), and only intravenous alcohol by one (5%). No institutional policies regarding alcohol dispensing existed in 16 (70%) hospitals. Alcohol was frequently used as a patient courtesy (14/20, 70%), and to prevent withdrawal (7/20, 35%). All pharmacies procured intravenous alcohol in a formal process, but 60% (12/20) obtained beverage alcohol informally. Alcohol is widely dispensed with few guidelines in this sample of acute-care hospitals. Additional research on therapeutic efficacy, consequences, and institutional oversight of alcohol in hospitals is needed.
Smoger
Steven H
SH
Department of Veteran Affairs, Louisville, KY, USA. Shsmog01@netscape.net
Looney
Stephen W
SW
Blondell
Richard D
RD
Wieland
L Susan
LS
Sexton
Leslie
L
Rhodes
Sandra B
SB
Swift
Robert M
RM
D000430:Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium / Q000517:prevention & control; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D016134:Organizational Policy; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States
D000431:Ethanol