東台灣青年人之飲酒相關的外傷事故

Alcohol-associated Injuries among Young People in Eastern Taiwan

事故傷害是臺灣地區15歲至24歲民眾罹病和死亡的主要因素，青年人亦高風險發生豪飲、酒後駕駛和暴力事件。本文目的是評估東臺灣青年人飲酒相關事故傷害的比例和特性。以某醫學中心外傷事故監控系統2004年的資料檔，選取年齡為15至24歲求診傷患為研究對象，若護理人員評定有「有酒味」、「明顯酒醉」或是血中酒精濃度結果為陽性者，則被界定為飲酒相關傷害事故。研究期間年齡15至24歲的外傷求診共有2,863例，其中約半數是因交通事故而受傷，共有266例（9.3%，95%信賴區間8.2%-10.4%）是飲酒相關傷害事故。飲酒相關傷害事故的風險男性較女性高出2倍，在各年齡層的比例分別是在15-17歲是4.9%，在18-20歲是6.9%，在21-24歲是14.8%；飲酒相關事故中有29例(10.9%)傷者年齡未到合法飲酒18歲的年齡；男性、花蓮縣居民、深夜來診、蓄意性傷害和發生在餐飲或其他休閒場所是飲酒相關事故的重要相關特性。外傷急診的年青傷者中有一定的比例是飲酒相關，這結果顯示延遲青少年飲酒和限制未成年取得酒品的方面需要更多的努力。未來對研究青年人的蓄意性事故傷害時，必須要考慮當事人是有否飲酒。

Injuries are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in Taiwanese young people between the ages of 15 and 24 years. Alcohol consumption is a significant problem among adolescents who are at high risk from episodes of heavy drinking, alcohol-impaired driving or assaults. We aimed to study the epidemiological characteristics and proportion of alcohol-associated injuries among young people in eastern Taiwan. The database of the Injury and Emergency Integrated Attendance System (IEIAS) was used as the data source for epidemiological study of injuries. Data on patients aged 15 through 24 years were extracted from the IEIAS data bank in 2004 for analysis. Of 2, 863 patients aged 15 to 24 years visiting an Emergency Department (ED), half of the visits were due to injuries from road traffic accidents. A total of 266 (9.3%, 95% CI: 8.2%-10.4%) injuries were alcohol-associated. Males were twice as likely to have alcohol-associated injuries. The proportion of alcohol-associated injuries were: 4.9% for those aged 15 to 17 years, 6.9% for those aged 18 to 20 years and 14.8% for those aged 21 to 24 years. Of the 266 alcohol-associated injuries, 29 (10.9%) involved adolescents below the legal drinking age of 18 years. One third of intentional injuries were alcohol-associated. Significant factors related to alcohol-associated injuries were: being male, being a resident of Hualien, visiting the ED after midnight, intentional injuries, and injuries occurring at dining or other recreational sites. A substantial percentage of injuries sustained by young ED patients were associated with alcohol. These data highlight the need for stronger efforts to delay initiation of alcohol use among adolescent and efforts to limit underage drinkers' access to alcohol. Further study of intentional injuries among young people must include the role of alcohol use by all those involved in the event.