PREVALENCE OF ALCOHOL-PROBLEMS AMONG EMERGENCY ROOM PATIENTS IN THAILAND

Aims. To determine prevalence rates of alcohol problems among emergenc y room patients. Design. This was a cross-sectional survey including p atient interviews and record reviews. The questionnaire included the A lcohol Use Disorders Identification Test to screen for hazardous or ha rmful alcohol use (alcohol problems). It also contained questions rega rding the chief complaint and factors precipitating the admission. Set ting. Emergency rooms of three regional hospitals in Thailand. Partici pants. Consecutive emergency room admissions aged 14 and older, admitt ed from 18.00-02.00 h. Findings. Risk factors for alcohol problems inc luded male gender, age 20-49, higher monthly income, less than univers ity graduate education status and admission to the northeast regional ER. Among non-trauma patients, those with alcohol-related diagnoses an d 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-injure d comparison group. The estimated overall prevalence rate of alcohol p roblems for this population, adjusted for age and diagnostic classific ation, was 0.39 for males and 0.08 for females. Conclusion. Especially among patients with specified diagnoses, the emergency room is an ide al setting for implementing alcohol screening and intervention program mes in Thailand.