Factors influencing acute alcohol poisoning in adolescents in Bulgaria

The aim of the current study is to analyze the social dimensions of acute alcohol poisoning in children.

We have studied the patients at the age up to 18 years with acute alcohol poisoning hospitalized in the Children Toxicology Department of Emergency Hospital Pirogov, Sofia, Bulgaria, from January 1, 2007 to June 31,2008. All of them were at teen years--between 12 and 17 years old. Data on children were retrived from hospital medical records. We have used the inquiry method - specially created for the purpose of the survey questionnaire comprising 39 questions (location and the reason for drinking, type of alcoholic beverage, age at first drink, combination alcohol - illicit drug, type of family, education and employment of parents, frequency of alcohol consumption by parents, consecutiveness of the children in family, presence of siblings, presence of children in a single room, interests etc.).

We have studied 137 Adolescents with acute alcohol poisoning. 77 are boys and 60 girls. The results demonstrate tendency of increase of the poisonings in weekends and in late afternoon and evening. No repeated hospitalization for acute alcohol poisoning in the study group for that period has been registered. The most frequent alcoholic beverage leading to intoxication was vodka (63.1 %). 64 % of the children come from complete families. Both parents have secondary education in 79.7 % and in 53.3 % both parents are employed. 60 % were the first born child in the family. The most frequent reason for alcohol consumption was meeting with friends.

The research concerns one important medico-social problem--alcohol consumption among children. The increasing alcohol consumption leads to increasing number of acute alcohol poisonings and associated problems. The proposed preventive program may play in important role in decreasing the consequences of alcohol consumption among young people. It should be further developed and popularized among physicians.