A new study of the prevalence of underage drinking highlights
one of its significant consequences: hospitalization. Of the
40,000 youth ages 15 to 20 years who were hospitalized in 2008
and diagnosed with alcohol use disorder (AUD), 79 percent were
intoxicated when they arrived at the hospital. "Hospitalization
for Underage Drinkers in the United States" was published in the
June 2012 issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health. Terry D.
Schneekloth, M.D., with the Department of Psychiatry and
Psychology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and an author of
the study says, "Our primary aim was an assessment of the scope
of a significant consequence of underage drinking —
hospitalization. We examined discharge records to determine the
youth who were discharged with an alcohol use disorder (AUD)
diagnosis. The AUD diagnoses included alcohol intoxication,
alcohol dependence syndrome, nondependent abuse of alcohol and
alcohol-induced mental disorders." To determine the
pervasiveness of the problem, Dr. Schneekloth a