People visiting ED with alcoholrelated problems getting older
For years, the emergency department at Christchurch Hospital has been put under increasing pressure by patients engaging in excessive drinking, some consuming over 20 drinks in one sitting.
But a new study has shown that it is not necessarily young people who are to blame for over-indulging to the point where medical intervention is necessary – older Kiwis are increasingly part of the problem.
The study, The Impact of Alcohol in the ED, was done by researchers from the University of Otago in Christchurch, and published in the New Zealand Medical Journal.
Researchers studied alcohol-related patient presentations to the Christchurch Hospital emergency department – one of the busiest in Australasia – over three separate but similar time frames, in 2013, 2017 and 2022.
Overall, 412 patients consented to take part in the study.
One of the key findings was a change in age profile towards older New Zealanders attending the ED with alcohol-related issues.
Over the three waves, the median age of participants increased from 32.5 years to 39 years.
In 2013, a total of 164 patients were included in the study. Of these, 55 (33.6%) were under 25, while 90 patients (54.9%) were between 25 and 64 years old.
In 2022, a total of 109 patients were included in the study. Of these, 21 (19.3%) were under 25, while 62 patients (56.9%) were between 25 and 64 years old.
“Although media attention often focuses on ‘young people drinking in pubs and bars on a Saturday night’, this is not the case in terms of ED presentations in this study,” said lead researcher Dr Laura Joyce, a Christchurch Hospital emergency physician and senior lecturer at the university’s Christchurch campus.
“Our findings are in line with other research showing that over one-third of older New Zealanders are drinking at levels which may result in harm.
“This is concerning, as people in this age group are more likely to have additional co-morbidities and the potential for medication interactions.”
The study showed that the number of people ending up in the ED for alcohol-related reasons was increasing.
“Excess of alcohol as a reason for presentation to the Christchurch ED in our study rose from just over 5% in 2013 to 11% in 2022,” said Dr Joyce.
A significant portion of patients in each time frame (26.5% in 2022) admitted having consumed 20 or more standard drinks in a single occasion.
“Alcohol harm is pervasive across Aotearoa New Zealand, leading to significant injury and chronic disease, causing more than 5% of all premature deaths.”
Two-thirds of the patients in the study had consumed alcohol in a private location, such as their own home, prior to the ED visit.
Joyce said this highlighted a need for stronger local alcohol policies for off-licence venues such as bottle stores and supermarkets, as they were a key supplier of large quantities of cheap alcohol, and contributed to New Zealand’s drinking culture as a whole.
“With the recent passing of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Community Participation) Amendment Bill, councils can now implement strong controls on alcohol availability without the risk of alcohol industry appeals, particularly from alcohol retailers.”
She added that the implementation of evidence-based alcohol policies was urgently needed to reduce preventable alcohol-related harm, and its impact on ED overcrowding and added pressure on hospital staff and resources.
The tourist town of Fox Glacier remains cut off after 48 hours of rain left it isolated by slips and fallen trees that blocked the main state highway.
But fears of widespread flooding from swollen rivers have subsided, with neither the Waiho River in Franz Josef nor the Hokitika River expected to breach their banks.
Bad weather has swept across the country, with warnings of severe thunderstorms and heavy rain in the North Island, and high winds forcing the closure of restaurants at the top of Auckland’s Sky Tower.
Air New Zealand said 46 flights had been cancelled across the domestic network as of yesterday evening.
Residents in Spring Creek, near Blenheim, have also been told to evacuate their homes by 9am today as a precaution over concerns that heavy rain would cause the nearby Wairau River to rise significantly by 5pm yesterday.
The recent heavy rain and road closures have taken their toll on the West Coast, with one hotel chain predicting its losses to be about $100,000.
Coasters have been stoic, though, and AgFest – the region’s biggest annual event, which brings together hundreds of agricultural sector exhibitors and thousands of people – will still go ahead in Greymouth today and tomorrrow.
Co-owner Andy Thompson said the event was vital to the region’s economy.
“We reckon Coasters are pretty used to donning a raincoat and taking advantage of this fantastic event, and it’s not going to put them off.”
Some areas of the West Coast received more than Christchurch’s annual rainfall in 48 hours.
Fox Glacier remained isolated today, with slips and trees felled by the rain forcing the closure of State Highway 6 on either side of the town.
The road between Fox Glacier and Franz Josef is expected to remain closed until at least Monday following extensive damage at Smithy’s Creek.
Workers are unable to assess the damage until the intense rainfall eases, while the route south to Haast will be shut until at least 10am today because of heavy wind, rain and slips.
SH6 between Franz Josef and Ross, just south of Hokitika, is also closed until further notice due to surface flooding.
Overnight, snow was expected to settle on some roads in the south of the South Island, including the SH8 Lindis Pass, Crown Range Road and SH94 Milford Road.