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Thursday, July 2, 2009

Alcohol consumption and use of acute and mentalhealth hospital services in the West of ScotlandCollaborative prospective cohort study J Epidemiol Community Health. Published Online First: 1 July 2009.

Men who consumed 22 or more units per week had a 20% higher rate of acute admissions than nondrinkers. The number of bed-days were higher for men drinking eight or more units and increased with consumption, with the highest category having a 58% higher rate of bed-days than non-drinkers. Non-drinkers had the highest admissions for CHD.

For stroke, drinkers of 15 or more units had higher admissions and higher number of bed-days and these increased with increasing consumption. Respiratory admissions were higher for drinkers of 22 or more units and bed-days were higher fordrinkers of 15 or more units. Alcohol-related admissions and number of bed-days generally increased with consumption.
Mental health admissions and number of bed-days were raised for drinkers of 22 or more units with a suggestion of a J-shaped relationship.

Alcohol consumption has a substantial effect on acute and mental health admissions and bed-days.

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