Adolescent Drinking is Associated With a Higher Risk of Acute Harm

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by News Medical.

A recent study has found that among Danish adolescents, increased weekly alcohol consumption is linked to a higher risk of hospital visits due to alcohol-induced incidents and unintentional injuries.

The study was conducted among a large cohort of 71,025 Danish youth and provided crucial insights into a dose-response relationship between alcohol consumption and unintentional injuries leading to hospital contacts.

The data revealed that 90% of Danish adolescents drank alcohol, averaging ten drinks weekly, and they exceeded European averages in both alcohol consumption and intoxication rates.

The study’s key predictor was weekly alcohol consumption, with students grouped based on their average weekly intake and a “standard drink” containing 12 grams of pure alcohol. The primary outcomes investigated were alcohol-related hospital contacts and unintentional injuries, including head injuries.

The researchers found no safe lower limit of alcohol intake in this vulnerable study population. Interestingly, both genders displayed similar alcohol intake-related injury risk rates.

Almost one-third of the participants experienced unintentional injuries over the five-year follow-up period, with males (31%) more affected than females (24%).

The predominant injuries were to the wrist and hand, ankle and foot, and head, with higher alcohol intake escalating the risks of unintentional injuries.

The study also spotlighted a significant correlation between alcohol consumption and head injuries, particularly intracranial ones, which accounted for 15.9% of all head injuries.

Previous studies support these findings; however, this study’s unique data from hospital registers underscore the need for urgent preventive measures and offer a robust framework for future research.

The study was published in EClinicalMedicine.

Source: News Medical
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20230908/Adolescent-drinking-is-associated-with-a-higher-risk-of-acute-harm.aspx