Grant: Catalyst Grant: Alcohol research - Specific Population: Youth

Over the past two decades, alcohol-related emergency department (ED) visits in Canada and other high-income countries (US and UK) have increased dramatically. Prior research from our team has highlighted that these increases have been particularly prominent in youth, young adults and women. While recent research has highlighted downstream harms associated with frequent ED visits due to alcohol in older adults, there is a gap concerning youth and young adults with infrequent visits. A common assumption by clinicians and decision-makers is to brush off these infrequent visits as 'one-off' events due to acute intoxication that they don't require follow-up. A preliminary analysis by our team contradicts this assumption. We found young adults aged 15-29 with a single alcohol-related ED visit are at a double (men) and triple (women) greater risk of death within a year than the general population. In this study we will investigate in greater detail the short and long-term health consequences experienced by young adults with a first-time visit to the ED for alcohol through three objectives. First, we will evaluate the relationship between a single ED visit due to alcohol in young adults and health outcomes beyond mortality (e.g., alcohol and mental health hospitalizations and primary care visits). Second, we will identify risk factors for harmful outcomes in young adults with an ED visit due to alcohol. Third, we will examine the follow-up care these young adults receive. We will use health administrative data to identify alcohol-related ED visits, risk factors, and outcomes. Our analysis will compare young adults with a single ED visit due to alcohol to young adults without a visit. Clinicians can use our findings to inform who should receive follow-up after their ED visit. Decision-makers can use our findings to inform and increase funding for health system policies and other preventive services and to reduce the consequences of harmful alcohol consumption.