The number of under-18s admitted to hospital due to drinking increased by 32% between 2002 and 2007; an average of 36 children a day admitted for alcohol-related conditions. Underage alcohol-related hospital admissions, emergency department attendances and ambulance service call-outs cost almost £19million nationally in 2007/08.
The figures have been released by Alcohol Concern in a new report that highlights 12,832 young people under 18 years old were admitted to hospital for alcohol-related conditions in 2009. This figure does not take into account the numbers of young people attending accident and emergency (A&E) departments, interacting with the police, and experiencing illness, accident and injury as a result of their alcohol consumption.
‘Right time, right place: Alcohol-harm reduction strategies with children and young people’ [pdf]
The Alcohol Concern report page says 'It is clear that, without effective prevention and intervention, this harmful behaviour will continue to normalise problem drinking and continue to advance pro-drinking cultural attitudes among children and young people.'
Alcohol Concern Chief Executive, Don Shenker said:
“As long as alcohol remains as heavily promoted as it currently is, young drinkers will continue to consume far more than they might otherwise, leading to inevitable health harms, wasting ambulance and police time.”
“As well as tackling the ludicrously cheap price of alcohol in some settings, we want all under-18-year-olds who turn up at A&E to be advised and supported to address their drinking.”
See here for coverage from the BBC, The Independent, The Guardian and The Telegraph. The report is the final of 3 released by the charity as part of Alcohol Awareness Week 2010.
For more on information and reports on young people's drinking see: 'Children, Young People and Alcohol', here for a number of further reports, and practitioner's guidance.
Comments