The hidden costs of drug and alcohol use in hospital emergency departments

Butler, K; Reeve, R; Arora, S; Viney, R; Goodall, S; van Gool, K; Burns, L

The hidden costs of drug and alcohol use in hospital emergency departments

Butler, K Reeve, R

Arora, S

Viney, R

Goodall, S

van Gool, K

Burns, L

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Drug and Alcohol Review, 2016, 35 (3), pp. 359 - 366
Issue Date:: 2016-05-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Butler, K	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Reeve, R https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1022-8052	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Arora, S https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7562-2416	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Viney, R https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0039-9635	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Goodall, S https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6611-6565	en_US
dc.contributor.author	van Gool, K https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1424-9304	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Burns, L	en_US
dc.date.available	2015-05-20	en_US
dc.date.issued	2016-05-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Drug and Alcohol Review, 2016, 35 (3), pp. 359 - 366	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0959-5236	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/122555
dc.description.abstract	© 2016 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs. Introduction and Aims: This study estimates the burden of drug and alcohol morbidity on hospitals in New South Wales (NSW) by observing a multi-site collective sample utilising survey information and data linkage. Specifically we aimed to determine the prevalence of alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems and to estimate patterns of utilisation of hospital services, costs of presentations, and admissions for patients with AOD problems. Design and Methods: Patients were recruited from eight NSW public hospitals presenting to the hospital emergency department over a 10 day period. Participants completed a self-administered survey with demographic characteristics and questions about substance use. More than two-thirds (68%) of participants consented to provide access to their NSW Health medical data for a period spanning 2.5 years. Results: One-third (35%) of the total sample were identified as having problematic AOD use with one in five of these patients requiring a high level of intervention. Those patients requiring a high level of intervention present more often and cost more per presentation. If admitted they were more likely to have longer stays and were also more likely to be admitted to a psychiatric ward and have a longer stay in the ward. Discussion: This study demonstrates a need for AOD interventions in the emergency department setting, both because it represents an opportunity for intervention in a population in which problems with substance use is highly prevalent, and because there is evidence that AOD imposes additional costs on the health system.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Drug and Alcohol Review	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1111/dar.12302	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Substance Abuse	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Substance-Related Disorders	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Alcohol-Related Disorders	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Hospitalization	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Length of Stay	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Prevalence	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Adolescent	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Adult	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Aged	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Aged, 80 and over	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Middle Aged	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Emergency Service, Hospital	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Hospitals, Public	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	New South Wales	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Female	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Male	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Young Adult	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Surveys and Questionnaires	en_US
dc.title	The hidden costs of drug and alcohol use in hospital emergency departments	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	3	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	35	en_US
utslib.for	140208 Health Economics	en_US
utslib.for	11 Medical and Health Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	16 Studies in Human Society	en_US
utslib.for	17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Business
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHERE - Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	3	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	35	en_US

Abstract:

© 2016 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs. Introduction and Aims: This study estimates the burden of drug and alcohol morbidity on hospitals in New South Wales (NSW) by observing a multi-site collective sample utilising survey information and data linkage. Specifically we aimed to determine the prevalence of alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems and to estimate patterns of utilisation of hospital services, costs of presentations, and admissions for patients with AOD problems. Design and Methods: Patients were recruited from eight NSW public hospitals presenting to the hospital emergency department over a 10 day period. Participants completed a self-administered survey with demographic characteristics and questions about substance use. More than two-thirds (68%) of participants consented to provide access to their NSW Health medical data for a period spanning 2.5 years. Results: One-third (35%) of the total sample were identified as having problematic AOD use with one in five of these patients requiring a high level of intervention. Those patients requiring a high level of intervention present more often and cost more per presentation. If admitted they were more likely to have longer stays and were also more likely to be admitted to a psychiatric ward and have a longer stay in the ward. Discussion: This study demonstrates a need for AOD interventions in the emergency department setting, both because it represents an opportunity for intervention in a population in which problems with substance use is highly prevalent, and because there is evidence that AOD imposes additional costs on the health system.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/122555