Drinking patterns and alcohol related admissions of acute medical patients in Stracathro Hospital

Area of Science:

• Medical research
• Public health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Understanding patient drinking patterns is crucial for effective healthcare.
• Alcohol use disorder is a significant public health concern.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the drinking habits of male and female patients in a rural hospital setting.
• To determine the prevalence of alcohol consumption among acute medical ward admissions.
• To identify alcohol as a contributing factor in patient admissions.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of patient data from acute medical wards.
• Categorization of patients based on alcohol consumption levels (regular, rare/never).
• Assessment of alcohol's role in admission and associated problems.

Main Results:

• 34% of males and 18.5% of females were regular drinkers.
• 54% of males and 70.5% of females rarely or never drank alcohol.
• Alcohol was a determining factor in 7.9% of male and 7.5% of female admissions, with drug overdosage being the most common associated issue.

Conclusions:

• Significant variations in alcohol consumption exist between genders and age groups within the studied patient population.
• Alcohol plays a notable role in acute medical admissions, often co-occurring with other issues like drug overdosage.
• These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions and screening for alcohol use in hospital settings.