Adolescent health brief
Adolescent Alcohol Intoxication in the Dutch Hospital Departments of Pediatrics: A 2-Year Comparison Study

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Abstract

Purpose

To monitor the prevalence of, and the circumstances leading to, adolescent alcohol intoxication admissions in Dutch hospital departments of pediatrics.

Methods

Data were collected in 2007 and 2008, using the Dutch Pediatric Surveillance System, in which pediatricians received questionnaires on varying issues, including adolescent alcohol intoxication admissions.

Results

The adolescents treated in 2008, as in 2007, were average youth across proportion of gender, educational level, school performances, family structure, siblings, familiarity with medical or aid agencies, alcohol use, and other (illicit) drug use. In 2008, 13% more adolescents were treated. These adolescents showed a trend of having a younger average age, higher blood alcohol concentrations, and longer durations of mental impairment. About 45% of the adolescents who were treated for alcohol intoxication had purchased alcohol from a commercial place, despite that 51 times the specific adolescent had not reached the legal age of 16 years old. About one-third of the youngsters consumed alcohol at home or at a friend's home.

Conclusions

The number of adolescents suffering from alcohol intoxication increased in 2008 compared with 2007. Parental (lack of) involvement and responsibilities of commercial sales personnel are discussed.

Section snippets

Method

Data were collected through the Dutch Pediatric Surveillance System (NSCK), in which 83% of pediatricians in Dutch general hospitals and 92% in academic hospitals participated. Pediatricians fill in monthly questionnaires on about 10 varying predetermined diseases, disorders, or syndromes. Adolescent (0–18 years old) alcohol intoxication (blood alcohol concentration [BAC] >0 grams of alcohol per liter blood) has been included in the NSCK system since 2007. The Ethical Commission of the Faculty

Results

Besides the 13% increase in admitted adolescents, adolescents admitted in both years show a similar proportion of gender (χ2 [2, N = 518] = 1.03, p = .60), educational level (χ2 [9, N = 406] = 5.37, p = .80), school performances (χ2 [3, N = 369] = .09, p = .99), family structure (χ2 [3, N = 471] = .59, p = .90), siblings (χ2 [4, N = 386] = 4.57, p = .33), familiarity with medical or aid agencies (χ2 [7, N = 467] = 11.75, p = .11), alcohol use (χ2 [4, N = 238] = 2.81, p = .59), and other

Discussion

Despite ongoing national health promotion campaigns, in-service compliance campaigns, and local initiatives to enforce alcohol laws, the number of adolescents suffering from alcohol intoxication increased by 13% in 2008 (as compared with that in 2007). However, this raise might also be influenced by an increased attention of the NSCK within the group of participating pediatricians. In both years, other characteristics demonstrate that these adolescents are average youngsters, who, possibly

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