Acute alcohol poisoning in teens

Authors: Smaranda Rodica Goţia*, Smaranda Laura Goţia, Raluca Sabău
Affiliation: University of Medicine and Pharmacy „Victor Babeş”, Department of Physiology, Timişoara, Romania

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Abstract. The aim of our study was to investigate the incidence and the motivation of over alcohol consumption in teens which are admitted to hospital. Material and methods: Clinical data are collected from the 1111 medical records to Children Emergency Hospital „Louis Ţurcanu” Timişoara (Romania), between January 2004 to June 2006. There were selected 53 patients (36 boys and 17 girls) admitted to hospital with alcohol abuse-related consequences. Results: The incidence of alcohol abuse was 4.72 % in teens with mean age 13.85 ± 2.21 years for boys and 14.01 ± 1.89 years for girls. Alcohol-related problems were: acute poisoning in 52.83 % cases (20 boys, 8 girls), alcoholic coma in 39.63 % cases (13 boys, 8 girls), and alcohol poisoning associated with Aspirine or Extraveral abuse in 7.54% cases (3 boys, 1 girl). The majority of teens were from urban surroundings (62.26 %), they preferred beverages with high alcohol content and beer, rather than wine. The motivation of alcohol abuse: a way to be accepted and admired in a group, the negative peers influence, many alcoholic beverages in the places frequented by teens, and easy access to alcohol. For teens, the likelihood of alcohol addiction depends on the influence of parents, peers, how early in life they begin to use alcohol. Teens education by different ways can be beneficial to reduce the alcohol use and abuse.
Keywords: teens, alcohol abuse result, motivation