*This is an archive page. The links are no longer being updated. 1993.10.04 : Increase in Drug-Related Hospital Emergencies Contact: Pat El-Hinnawy (301) 443-8956 October 4, 1993 The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration announced today that the 1992 Drug Abuse Warning Network showed a 10 percent nationwide increase in drug-related hospital emergency room episodes between 1991 and 1992. Cocaine-related hospital visits increased by 18 percent, from 101,200 in 1991 to 119,800 episodes in 1992; heroin-related visits rose by 34 percent, from 35,900 in 1991 to 48,000 in 1992. In addition, marijuana-related episodes increased 48 percent in the same time period, from 16,300 to 24,000. "These findings point to a need for expanded substance abuse prevention efforts," said HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala. "They also underscore the importance of comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation services which can succeed in reducing the cases of chronic substance abuse." Lee P. Brown, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, said the data show that "to make real headway against hard-core drug use, we must redouble our efforts to reduce demand. We must treat the disease as well as the episode. To accomplish this, we have included an expansion of drug treatment in the president's national health care reform plan. We will also continue efforts to build the capacity of our existing treatment infrastructure." The DAWN survey, sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, provides information on the impact of substance abuse on emergency rooms in the United States. It reports the number of episodes in which a person's visit to a hospital emergency room was directly related to the use of an illegal drug or the non-medical use of a legally available drug. DAWN is not a measure of the prevalence of drug use, but rather of the health consequences of use. Total Drug-Related Hospital Emergency Room Visits Between 1991 and 1992, increases were noted in total drug episodes among men (from 189,500 to 219,600), whites (from 221,500 to 235,600), blacks (from 106,900 to 122,900), Hispanics (from 33,100 to 42,200), and those who live in major metropolitan areas, both in the central cities and beyond (from 136,400 to 158,900 in the central cities and from 64,700 to 70,400 outside the central cities). Between 1991 and 1992, increases in total drug-related episodes were seen in nine of 21 major metropolitan areas, with large increases occurring in Boston (34 percent), Chicago (27 percent), and New York (21 percent). These data reflect a combination of possible factors, ranging from the cumulative effects of long-term drug abuse to changes in purity, price and choice of drugs. "The increases in medical emergencies revealed in the data are widespread across population groups and geographic areas of the country," said Assistant Secretary for Health Philip R. Lee, M.D., head of the U.S. Public Health Service. "They are not isolated to inner cities or particular groups. So our preventive solutions must be broad." ONDCP Director Brown said the administration "will encourage a more far reaching approach to the drug problem, one directed toward eradicating the underlying causes of substance abuse and addiction. To that end, we will work with others in and outside of government in support of job creation, better schools, accessible health care, decent housing and safe communities." Cocaine-related Emergency Room Visits Between 1991 and 1992, DAWN mentions of cocaine increased in almost every demographic category charted. Increases were seen among those age 18 and older, blacks, Hispanics, men and women. Among those age 35 and older, the increase was 35 percent, from 30,600 to 41,300. In 1992, those age 26 to 34 continued to have the highest visit rate per person for cocaine-related emergencies; the rate rose from 120.5 per 100,000 persons in 1991 to 139.3 per 100,000 persons in 1992. In major metropolitan areas, increases in cocaine-related emergencies were seen in seven of the 21 areas. In that time period, large increases in cocaine-related emergencies were seen in Atlanta (57 percent), Boston (43 percent), and Chicago (47 percent). Heroin-related Emergency Room Visits Between 1991 and 1992, a 34 percent increase in the number of heroin-related emergency room visits occurred, rising in every age group and most notably among those age 35 and older, whose rate increased by 47 percent from 17,300 to 25,400. Notable increases were found among men (23,600 to 34,800), whites (13,400 to 17,900), blacks (15,200 to 18,600), and Hispanics (5,100 to 8,500). As with cocaine-related visits, the visit rate per person for heroin-related episodes remained highest for those between the ages of 26 and 34 (43.3 per 100,000). Between 1991 and 1992, increases in heroin-related visits occurred in nine of the 21 major metropolitan areas. Large increases were seen in Baltimore (31 percent), Boston (77 percent), Los Angeles (76 percent), and New York (39 percent). Long-Term Trends in Drug-Related Emergency Room Visits DAWN data show that since 1978, drug-related emergency room visits have increased dramatically (from 319,200 in 1978 to 433,500 in 1992), primarily due to increases in cocaine-related emergencies, which rose from 1 percent of drug-related visits in 1978 to 28 percent in 1992. In the same period, heroin-related emergency room visits increased from 4 percent of total drug- related visits in 1978 to 11 percent in 1992. The increases in total drug-related visits exceed what would normally be expected from increased use of emergency rooms for health care. "These data highlight the need for better coordinated efforts at federal, state and local levels to prevent substance abuse and its costly consequences for society," said Elaine M. Johnson, acting administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. SAMHSA is an agency of the Public Health Service within HHS. Copies of the 1992 DAWN report are available from the SAMHSA press office, (301) 443-8956.