DRINKING ON CAMPUS - UNDERGRADUATE INTOXICATION REQUIRING EMERGENCY CARE

Objectives: To (1) determine the incidence of undergraduate students w ith alcohol intoxication who presented to our emergency department (ED ), (2) examine the demographic correlates of the students, and (3) loo k at associated injuries that were sustained by the students. Design: Retrospective case series. Setting: A tertiary care medical center tha t was located on the campus of a major university. Patients: Undergrad uate students with alcohol intoxication who presented to the ED. Main Outcome Measures: Demographic data and associated injuries of intoxica ted students who presented to the ED during 2 academic years. Results: Forty-four students presented with alcohol intoxication for a yearly incidence of 3.9 per 1000 students. Freshmen were overrepresented comp ared with students in other higher classes, with an incidence of 9.3 p er 1000 per year (P<.001). Nine (20%) of the 44 students sustained an injury from a fall, and 1 required mechanical ventilation for treatmen t of apnea. Conclusions: Alcohol intoxication that requires emergency care is not uncommon among college students, arid many students with a lcohol intoxication present to the ED following a fall. Freshmen are p articularly likely to present for care in an ED.