either caused or exacerbated by their alcohol addiction.
Other common traits of those who visited emergency rooms for a reason related to alcohol were housing issues and social isolation marked by a lack of any positive relationship.
The researchers also stated that most emergency room physicians associate these patients with two particular factors: alcohol addiction and “high use of emergency services.” Consequently, those who recurrently visit emergency rooms and are found to have high volumes of alcohol in their systems are negatively stereotyped and encounter prejudice “given the lack of information about them.”
“[This] continues to be a problem and they cost a huge amount of money to emergency departments in England,” Parkman explained.
In order to improve the treatment of emergency room patients and reduce the negative labels, the researchers emphasized that a “sensitive person-centered approach is likely to be required.”
Author: Livia Areas-Holmblad
Livia Holmblad is an editor at Addiction Now and covers breaking news, features and everything in between. She moved to SoCal after living in NYC for about 10 years, where she worked for VICE and SinoVision as a writer, editor, host, producer, and director. Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro. Contact Livia at liviah@addictionnow.com
