Drinking patterns of alcohol intoxicated adolescents in the emergency department: A latent class analysis

• We examined drinking patterns in adolescents treated for alcohol intoxication
• Latent class analysis revealed 5 classes with distinct drinking patterns
• 1 low-risk class, 2 risky drinking classes and 2 high-risk classes were identified
• High-risk drinking was associated with most severe psychosocial problems
• Findings may help practitioners to better target interventions to patients' needs

IntroductionThe increasing number of children and adolescents in need of emergency medical treatment following acute alcohol intoxication has been a major public health concern in Europe in recent years. However, little is known about drinking habits and associated risks in this population. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine drinking patterns and associated risks in adolescent emergency department patients following alcohol intoxication. The aim of this study is to establish a classification system for admitted adolescentsMethodsLatent class analysis was used to identify subgroups of adolescents with distinct patterns of habitual drinking as defined by the quantity of consumed alcohol on a typical drinking occasion, frequency of binge drinking and drunkenness, alcohol-related problems, prior alcohol-related hospitalizations and alcohol-related risk behaviors. Subgroup characteristics were examined with regard to sociodemographics, other substance use and psychosocial problems using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and chi-square tests.ResultsA total of 316 adolescents aged 12–17 treated in 6 urban emergency departments in Germany were analyzed. Five classes of drinking patterns were identified: one class representing low-risk drinking (class 1 “low-risk” (61.2%)), two classes representing risky drinking (class 2 “moderate-risk” (5.7%) and class 3 “frequent drunk” (15.8%)), as well as two classes representing high-risk drinking (class 4 “alcohol-related problems” (11.4%) and class 5 “excessive drinking” (5.1%)). Membership of classes 4 and 5 was associated with the most severe psychosocial problems, especially with regard to aggressive-dissocial behaviors. The CRAFFT-d and brief RAPI screening tools allowed identifying the two risky drinking classes and two high-risk drinking classes.ConclusionsOur findings provide the first in-depth analysis of habitual drinking in this study population and may help practitioners to better tailor interventions to patients' needs by using the identified classes as a form of classification system for admitted adolescents.