Netherlands National Drug Monitor - Research and Documentation ...
Netherlands National Drug Monitor - Research and Documentation ...
Netherlands National Drug Monitor - Research and Documentation ...
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• In approximately 1,200 admissions annually, drugs had been used in addition to<br />
alcohol. Self-harm occurs relatively frequently in a combination of alcohol <strong>and</strong> drugs<br />
(25% of cases, compared to 16% of cases involving only alcohol or only drugs).<br />
• These figures are probably an under-representation of the true scale of alcohol-related<br />
accidents, because the influence of alcohol on accidents is not systematically investigated.<br />
Table 7.7 Type of alcohol-related incidents that were treated in the emergency department in Dutch<br />
hospitals (annual average for 2004-2008)<br />
Type of incident Number Percentage<br />
Private circumstances 8 800 57%<br />
Road accident 3 200 21%<br />
Self-harm I 2 400 16%<br />
Injury through violence 920 6%<br />
Total ±15 000 100%<br />
I Such as suicide attempts by using alcohol <strong>and</strong> medicines. Source: LIS, Valkenberg (2009).<br />
The <strong>National</strong> Poison Information Centre (NVIC) of the RIVM provides doctors, pharmacists<br />
<strong>and</strong> government organizations with information about poisoning (Van Velzen<br />
et al., 2009).<br />
• In 2008, 2,103 cases of exposure to alcohol were reported to the NVIC. This was<br />
6% more than in 2007 (table 7.8). The increase is partly a consequence of the fact<br />
that notifications made via the website were included in the data for the first time<br />
in 2008.<br />
• These figures do not provide a clear picture of the absolute number of intoxications,<br />
however, because alcohol poisoning is not a notifiable condition. Moreover, doctors<br />
are generally familiar with the symptoms of alcohol use <strong>and</strong> overdose. The more<br />
familiar doctors are with the symptoms <strong>and</strong> treatment of intoxication with a particular<br />
substance, the less likely they are to consult the NVIC.<br />
• Some three-quarters of the cases involved a combination of alcohol <strong>and</strong> medicines.<br />
• The number of information requests for alcohol poisoning involving juveniles aged<br />
between 13 <strong>and</strong> 17 has increased in recent years from about 4% in 2002 to 8% in<br />
2005. No further rise has been registered since 2005. In 2008, the rate was seven<br />
percent. Alcohol poisoning among juveniles is mostly the result of drinking spirits<br />
with friends.<br />
166 <strong>Netherl<strong>and</strong>s</strong> <strong>National</strong> <strong>Drug</strong> <strong>Monitor</strong> - NDM Annual Report 2009