DAK report Binge drinking among adolescents increases

The so-called coma run in adolescents in Germany increases according to a study of the health insurance DAK dramatically.

02/12/2010

The reports of juvenile drunks are growing rapidly, giving a worrying picture of adolescents handling alcohol. On „alcohol consumption“ in the sense of the word nothing reminds at the drinking bouts of the young people. Her main concern seems to be: to achieve a full frenzy in no time and to forget everything else.

The DAK has now published based on the information provided by the statistical offices of the Länder their latest figures on the cases of alcohol abuse among young people for North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse. This shows that the number of comasers among young people has increased significantly, which also reflects the nationwide trend. For example, the number of underage drunks in North Rhine-Westphalia with 6,578 hospitalizations due to alcohol abuse has reached its highest level ever. Seven percent more adolescents than in the previous year had to be treated because of the massive alcohol consumption in the intensive care unit. In the city of Cologne alone, around 800 minors, mostly girls, had to be treated for medical malpractice in 2009, according to the city health department. In Hesse, too, the number of adolescents who had to be hospitalized with alcohol poisoning reached its highest level of 1,690 cases. Since 2008, the number of young comrades has risen by around four percent. „Since 2003, alcohol-related hospital deliveries have risen sharply“, emphasized Hesse's DAK regional chief, Michael Hübner and added: „The current numbers are alarming.“

According to the statistics of the national statistical offices, the number of clinically treated cases of alcohol abuse among young people between the ages of ten and 20 has in some cases increased by more than 70 percent in the last six years. All the more important, according to the DAK, is prevention. With her campaign „colorful instead of blue“, which goes directly to the schools and there informs about the consequences of alcohol abuse, the DAK hopes to counteract the strong increase in alcohol consumption among young people a bit. So in the next year alone in Hesse more than 570 schools will be contacted and invited to participate, said the DAK.

In Cologne, the project was also opened at the Children's Hospital on Amsterdamer Straße „Stop Cologne“ in which young people and their parents should be addressed in a situation in which they are shocked and ashamed. Just before the young patients, who were admitted with alcohol poisoning, leave the hospital, the doctors of the children's hospital are looking for a conversation with them and their parents. If the guardians and the adolescents agree, the doctors add a social worker to the drug help who begins a critical discourse with the affected person in the clinic. Right after such a drastic experience is the right time, because „then (...) many are at a point where they are ready to pause“, said the health department head of the city of Cologne, Agnes Klein. „We now have the opportunity to provide professional assistance during this phase“, so the health department officer on. Also Thomas Hambüchen of the drug aid Cologne praised the project, because „the timing is perfect, we take advantage of the weak moment to make it better later“ so the expert. Together with the young people, the social workers not only discuss how the total failure could occur, but also what problems adversely affect adolescents who might have played a role in alcohol abuse.

Overall, the DAK data paint a rather gloomy picture in regard to the alcohol abuse of young people, but there is also a glimmer of hope. Thus, the number of youthful comasers in Saxony has declined by about 16 percent between 2008 and 2009. A considerable success, which is not least due to the intensive educational work. Herbert Mrotzeck, DAK Landeschef in Saxony emphasized in view of the current numbers: „The decline in total alcohol abuse is gratifying (...), but there is still no reason for the all-clear. We must not let up in our commitment and the broad education in schools now.“ (Fp)

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Picture credits: Christoph Aron (pixelmaster-x)