Risk Factors Associated with Emergency Room Drug Abuse Admissions in Urban Taiwan, 1998–1999

The present study examined the risk factors associated with admissions for drug abuse among patients who visited an accident and emergency (A & E) department at a large metropolitan teaching hospital in Taipei, Taiwan. Two hundred and fifty-four consecutive patients reporting problems related to suspected intentional drug poisoning or acute intoxication from drugs of misuse were matched to 254 patients with internal medicine conditions unrelated to drug abuse by age within three years. Risk factors and drug use information was obtained by questionnaire. Between December 1998 and November 1999, 272 (0.7%) patients had visited the A & E for treatment of drug-related problems. Among these patients, 254 (93%) completed questionnaires and were enrolled in this study. Major reasons for hospital visits were suicide (51%), and acute drug poisoning (49%); primary drugs used were sedatives/hypnotics (81.7%) and narcotics (4.7%); most drugs came from pharmacies and drug stores (47.2%), hospitals and clinics (25.2%), or were bought from friends (7.1%) or others (11.1%). Being single (OR=1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.7), female (OR= 3.4, 95% CI 1.4-10.0), having an alcohol drinking habit (OR=3.0, 95% CI 1.3-7.2), and having higher depressive scores (OR=1.3, 95% CI 1.2-1.4) were independently associated with drug abuse. Important preventive measures against drug abuse included improving access to psychological counseling for users and controlling dispension of drugs at pharmacies.