Abstract
Background
Hospitalisations with explicit mention of alcohol poisoning are common in Sweden with around 13 000 recorded cases for 2004. Despite the extent and seriousness of this alcohol-related consequence surprisingly few studies have used hospitalisation data in analysing alcohol poisonings. This paper examines trends in alcohol poisonings in Sweden during the period 1987–2004 a period characterised by one of the fastest increases in alcohol consumption in modern times.
Aims
Two main questions are addressed: 1. To what extent have trends in alcohol poisonings changed and do they differ between men and women in different age groups? 2. To what extent do alcohol poisonings display a temporal pattern?
Data
The data consists of all hospitalisations with alcohol poisoning as the main or contributory diagnosis during 1987–2004. which meant a total of 205 483 hospitalisations involving 145 020 individuals.
Results
Hospitalisations with an alcohol poisoning diagnosis have increased since the late 1990s for both men and women and include all age groups except for those aged 30–49 (men and women) and 20–29 (men). The temporal variation was most pronounced among younger age groups, peaking on weekends and during special festivities whereas, among older age groups, alcohol poisonings are just as likely to happen during ordinary weekdays.
Conclusion
Alcohol poisonings constitute a major problem in Sweden and have increased during recent years, though the increase does not cover all age groups. The temporal pattern of alcohol poisonings suggests that binge drinking on weekends and during festivities is an important factor behind alcohol poisonings in younger age groups (<30) whereas among older people it is more likely related to a longer period of heavy drinking among marginalised heavy drinkers.