Healthy Development Measurement Toolkit

Health Outcome HO.5 Hospitalization rate for alcohol abuse per 1,000

Data Source

Hospitalization data for 2003 – 2005 were accessed via the Health Matters in San Francisco website: http://www.healthmattersinsf.org/index.php.  Health Matters in SF compiled the data from California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD).  For more information on these preventable hospitalizations, visit: http://oshpd.cahwnet.gov/HID/Products/PatDischargeData/ResearchReports/PrevntbleHosp/PQIReport.pdf

Explanation and Limitations

This indicator shows San Francisco’s hospitalization rate due to acute or chronic alcohol abuse.  "Alcohol abuse" includes alcohol dependence syndrome, nondependent alcohol abuse, alcoholic psychoses, excessive blood level of alcohol, and fetal alcohol syndrome.  Rates were calculated using population figures from the 2000 U.S. Census. Data are age-adjusted per 1,000 population using data from California’s 58 counties.  Age standardization allows comparisons across counties or by zip codes that differ in size or age composition. 

From the Health Matters in SF website, “Drinking alcohol has immediate effects that can increase the risk of many harmful health conditions. According to the CDC, excessive alcohol use, either in the form of heavy drinking (drinking more than two drinks per day on average for men or more than one drink per day on average for women), or binge drinking (drinking more than 4 drinks during a single occasion for men or more than 3 drinks during a single occasion for women), can lead to increased risk of health problems such as liver disease or unintentional injuries. There are approximately 75,000 deaths attributable to excessive alcohol use each year in the United States. This makes excessive alcohol use the 3rd leading lifestyle-related cause of death for the nation. In the single year 2003, there were over 2 million hospitalizations and over 4 million emergency room visits for alcohol-related conditions.”

This measure does not identify what were the social, environmental, physiological or mental causes for alcohol abuse, nor does it identify whether there are disparities in who is classified as abusing alcohol or barriers to accessing substance abuse treatment programs or health care.

Zip code level data should be interpreted with caution as they comprise a larger geographic area than neighborhood planning areas, census tracts and block groups. These units of analysis differ in important ways, including socioeconomic heterogeneity and stability.

Why is this a Community Health Indicator?

Excessive alcohol use creates immediate and long-term health risks.  According the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, immediate effects of excessive alcohol use (such as binge drinking) include unintentional injuries (such as traffic injuries, falls, drownings, burns, and unintentional firearm injuries), violence (including intimate partner violence and child maltreatment), risky sexual behaviors, miscarriage and still birth among pregnant women, birth defects, and alcohol poisoning (which can result in loss of consciousness, low blood pressure and body temperature, coma, respiratory depression or death).  Long term use of excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases, neurological impairments, psychiatric problems, cardiovascular problems, and social problems (such as unemployment, lost productivity, and family problems).  For more information, visit: http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/quickstats/general_info.htm