Teen alcohol poisonings highest among girls

Underage girls are fuelling alcohol poisoning rates in the UK, which have risen “sharply” over the last 20 years according to new research.

Underage girls are boosting levels of alcohol poisoning cases in the UK

According to a new study by The University of Nottingham in the UK, new cases of recorded teenage alcohol poisonings jumped by 27% between 1992 and 2012 from 264.1 per 100,000 people to 346.8 per 100,000 people each year.

The biggest spike was witnessed with “intentional” poisonings among 16-17-year-old girls and alcohol-related poisonings among 15-16-year-old girls, which approximately doubled.

From 2007 to 2012 nearly two thirds (64%) of alcohol poisonings were recorded as “intentional”, with just 4% “unintentional”.

Plus, 16% were related to alcohol while intentions were unknown in 16% of cases.

“There was a clear gender divide in the poisoning rates, with sex differences in intentional and alcohol related poisonings widening over time,” said Dr Edward Tyrrell from the University’s Division of Primary Care.

“The rate of poisoning in boys/young men was less than half that in girls/young women, and this was particularly true of intentional poisonings which were 80% lower in boys/young men.

“Alcohol related poisonings were 10% lower in boys/young men.”

The study concluded that overall rates of alcohol poisoning were “strongly linked” to socioeconomic deprivation, with people from the greatest deprived areas two to three times more likely to have a poisoning than those from the least deprived areas.

This link between poverty and deprivation did not reduce over time and “may reflect a difference in levels of mental anguish, stress and social and psychological support”.

Dr Tyrrell said the research required further exploration to consider whether the rising rates among young women reflect “real changes, increased health seeking behaviour changes in GP coding practices, or popular trends”. This could include clinicians interpreting intentional poisonings as more frequent and recording them as such.

“Since intentional and alcohol-related adolescent poisoning rates are increasing, both child and adolescent mental health and alcohol treatment service provision needs to be commissioned to reflect this changing need,” Dr Tyrrell added.

“Social and psychological support for adolescents should be targeted within more deprived communities to help reduce the current social inequalities.”