Leaving Before Completion of Treatment Among Alcohol-Intoxicated, College-Aged Emergency Department Patients

Background Heavy alcohol use among college-aged students is common and may lead to Emergency Department (ED) visits. A review of alcohol-intoxicated presentations to a single ED was performed to characterize these encounters and identify factors associated with leaving before treatment completion. Methodology Electronic medical records were reviewed for patients aged 18 to 25 years over a nine-month study period who presented to a university-affiliated ED with isolated alcohol intoxication and were subsequently discharged or left before completion of treatment. The frequency and characteristics of these individuals were compared using chi-square analysis. A series of controlled logistic and multinomial regression models were conducted to examine the predictive significance of potentially confounding variables (age, gender, time and day of presentation, method of hospital arrival, and triage level) associated with premature ED departure and length of stay. Measured ethanol levels and vital sign abnormalities at the time of leaving the ED were identified. Results Four hundred sixty-four patients aged 18 to 25 years presented with isolated alcohol intoxication over the study period. A higher frequency of leaving without completion of treatment was noted in college-aged alcohol-intoxicated individuals compared to the general adult ED population (17.9% versus 3.5%; P < 0.01). Abnormal vital signs (10.5%) and elevated ethanol levels before ED departure when measured (85.2%) were not uncommon. Variables significantly associated with leaving before completion of treatment included arrival by means other than emergency medical service (EMS)/police, lower triage levels, and 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. hospital departure.  Conclusions Based on these results, intoxicated college-aged individuals are at high risk for leaving EDs before care completion. The development of targeted protocols to minimize this occurrence and utilizing these ED encounters to consider addressing unhealthy drinking behaviors may be helpful.