Patterns of 'at-home' alcohol-related injury presentations to emergency departments

Bunker, Naomi; Woods, Cindy; Conway, Jane; Barker, Ruth; Usher, Kim

doi:10.1111/jocn.13472

Author(s)

Bunker, Naomi

Woods, Cindy

Conway, Jane

Barker, Ruth

Usher, Kim

Publication Date

2017

Abstract

Aims and objectives: This study aimed to establish the scale of alcohol-related injuries originating in the home. Background: Despite recent media and public attention on alcohol-related injuries occurring at licensed venues, many occur in other locations including the home. Design: A retrospective observational study. Methods: Emergency department surveillance data sourced from the Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit were interrogated for alcohol-related emergency department presentations from 2003-2012 (n = 12,296). Descriptive analysis was undertaken to assess alcohol involvement in injury, and analysis of variance was used to determine the differences among group means and their associated presentations. The relationship between demographic variables and injury location was assessed using p value of <0.05 as statistically significant. Results: Of all injuries that were positively identified as being alcohol related, 41.07% occurred at the 'other' location, 36.14% 'at home', 13.00% on the street and 9.78% at licensed premises. Of these, males (n = 2635; 59%) represented a higher proportion than females (n = 1807; 41%). Of injuries identified as domestic violence by spouse or partner (n = 510), 59.5% occurred 'at home'. Conclusions: This is the first study to investigate alcohol-related injuries occurring at home. The home accounts for a greater proportion of injuries than the frequently assessed licensed premises location. Further research is required to validate these findings in a wider setting. Relevance to clinical practice: A public health campaign is required to minimise harm associated with alcohol-related injuries in the home, and nurses are positioned to inform health policy makers around this issue. Furthermore, emergency department nurses are in a unique position to provide brief interventions around safe alcohol consumption and injury prevention.

Citation

Journal of Clinical Nursing, 26(1-2), p. 157-169

ISSN

1365-2702

0962-1067

Link

https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/20135

Language

en

Publisher

Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Title

Patterns of 'at-home' alcohol-related injury presentations to emergency departments

Type of document

Journal Article

Entity Type

Publication

Author(s)	Bunker, Naomi Woods, Cindy Conway, Jane Barker, Ruth Usher, Kim
Publication Date	2017
Abstract	Aims and objectives: This study aimed to establish the scale of alcohol-related injuries originating in the home. Background: Despite recent media and public attention on alcohol-related injuries occurring at licensed venues, many occur in other locations including the home. Design: A retrospective observational study. Methods: Emergency department surveillance data sourced from the Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit were interrogated for alcohol-related emergency department presentations from 2003-2012 (n = 12,296). Descriptive analysis was undertaken to assess alcohol involvement in injury, and analysis of variance was used to determine the differences among group means and their associated presentations. The relationship between demographic variables and injury location was assessed using p value of <0.05 as statistically significant. Results: Of all injuries that were positively identified as being alcohol related, 41.07% occurred at the 'other' location, 36.14% 'at home', 13.00% on the street and 9.78% at licensed premises. Of these, males (n = 2635; 59%) represented a higher proportion than females (n = 1807; 41%). Of injuries identified as domestic violence by spouse or partner (n = 510), 59.5% occurred 'at home'. Conclusions: This is the first study to investigate alcohol-related injuries occurring at home. The home accounts for a greater proportion of injuries than the frequently assessed licensed premises location. Further research is required to validate these findings in a wider setting. Relevance to clinical practice: A public health campaign is required to minimise harm associated with alcohol-related injuries in the home, and nurses are positioned to inform health policy makers around this issue. Furthermore, emergency department nurses are in a unique position to provide brief interventions around safe alcohol consumption and injury prevention.
Citation	Journal of Clinical Nursing, 26(1-2), p. 157-169
ISSN	1365-2702 0962-1067
Link	https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/20135
Language	en
Publisher	Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Title	Patterns of 'at-home' alcohol-related injury presentations to emergency departments
Type of document	Journal Article
Entity Type	Publication

Patterns of 'at-home' alcohol-related injury presentations to emergency departments

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