Identifying alcohol-related harm in young drinkers: the role of accident and emergency departments

Data are presented from a screening study of ambulant attendees at two London Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments. Among young people (aged 16–24 years), 37.2% were drinking harmfully [an Alcohol-Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score of 8 or more]; 17.3% admitted to drinking alcohol in the 6 h prior to attendance; and 14.6% considered that their attendance was alcohol related. Young women were as likely as men to score 8 or over. This age group had nearly twice the odds of scoring highly on the AUDIT, compared to those over 25 years old, and were more likely to report that their attendance was alcohol related. Screening in A&E departments would identify considerable numbers of young people who might benefit from brief intervention, but the problems of doing so are acknowledged.