Trends in emergency department visits related to acute alcohol consumption before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, 2018-2020

Marissa B Esser; Nimi Idaikkadar; Aaron Kite-Powell; Craig Thomas; Kurt J Greenlund

doi:10.1016/j.dadr.2022.100049

Trends in emergency department visits related to acute alcohol consumption before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, 2018-2020

Drug Alcohol Depend Rep. 2022 Jun:3:100049. doi: 10.1016/j.dadr.2022.100049. Epub 2022 Mar 27.

Authors

Marissa B Esser¹, Nimi Idaikkadar², Aaron Kite-Powell³, Craig Thomas¹, Kurt J Greenlund¹

Affiliations

¹ Division of Population Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, MS-S107-6, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA.
² Division of Injury Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, MS-S106-8, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA.
³ Division of Health Informatics and Surveillance, National Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2500 Century Blvd NE, MS-V25-3, Atlanta, GA, 30345, USA.

Abstract

Background: Excessive drinking accounts for more than 95,000 deaths annually in the United States. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic-related factors (e.g., social, economic, policy) may have affected alcohol consumption. Emergency department (ED) visits involving acute alcohol consumption (referred to as "alcohol-related") are a useful indicator for assessing changes in alcohol-related harms.

Methods: The 2018-2020 National Syndromic Surveillance Program data, which include nonfatal ED visits from facilities in 49 states and Washington, DC, were analyzed. Trends in the number of alcohol-related ED visits among people ≥15 years, and weekly alcohol-related ED visit rates (per 10,000 total visits) overall, by demographic characteristics, and quarter (Q) were assessed. Quarterly rates for 2018 and 2019 were averaged to increase baseline data stability.

Results: Alcohol-related visits accounted for 1.6% of 60,474,770 total visits (2018), 1.7% of 61,564,380 total visits (2019), and 1.8% of 52,174,507 total visits (2020). The number of alcohol-related ED visits generally increased during the first eight months of 2018 and 2019. However, it sharply declined at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-March-mid-April 2020, before resuming pre-pandemic patterns. Alcohol-related ED visits per 10,000 were higher during quarters in 2020 than corresponding quarters in 2018-2019 (Q1: +7.3%, Q2: +23.8%, Q3: +9.7%, Q4: +6.5%).

Conclusions: Alcohol-related ED visit rates per 10,000 total visits increased during 2020 versus 2018-2019, with the greatest relative difference in the second quarter. Fewer people sought ED care in 2020 than 2018-2019 but alcohol-related visits declined to a lesser extent than total visits.

Keywords: Alcohol policy; Alcohol use; Alcohol-related injury; Emergency department surveillance.

Published by Elsevier B.V.