Drinking to toxicity: college students referred for emergency medical evaluation.
In 2009, a university adopted a policy of emergency department transport of students appearing intoxicated on campus. The objective was to describe the change in ED referrals after policy initiation and describe a group of students at risk for acute alcohol-related morbidity.



A retrospective cohort of university students during academic years 2007-2011 (September-June) transported to local ED's was evaluated. Data were compared 2 years prior to initiation of the policy and 3 years after and included total number of ED transports and blood or breath alcohol level.



971 Students were transported to local ED's. The mean number of yearly transports 2 years prior to policy initiation was 131 and 3 years after was 236 (56 % increase, p < 0.01). 92 % had a blood or breath alcohol level obtained. The mean alcohol level was 193 mg/dL. Twenty percent of students had alcohol levels greater than 250 mg/dL.



Adoption of a university alcohol policy was followed by a significant increase in ED transports of intoxicated students. College students identified as intoxicated frequently drank to toxicity.
Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Zero Emerson Place, Suite 3B, Boston, MA, 02114, USA. skharasch@partners.org.
Sigmund J
SJ
Kharasch
Division of Student Affairs, University of Maryland, College Park, Campus Drive, Building 140, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
David R
DR
McBride
Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, 801 Massachusetts Ave, 4th Floor, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.
Richard
R
Saitz
Department of Emergency Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, One Boston Medical Center Place, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.
Ward P
WP
Myers
D000208:Acute Disease; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014187:Transportation of Patients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult