Objectives: Compare the prevalence of recent alcohol, tobacco, and drug use among patients from two Rhode Island emergency departments (EDs) to Rhode Island state and United States national general population estimates between 2010 and 2012.
Methods: Secondary analysis of ED patient data and the National Survey of Drug Use and Health.
Results: Alcohol was the most commonly reported substance, and prevalence of its use was higher among ED patients than those in the national, but not the Rhode Island, general population. Drug use was higher among ED patients than in the state and national general population. For ED patients, tobacco and opioid use was highest among 26-34 year-olds, alcohol and marijuana highest among 18-25 years-olds, and cocaine highest among 35-49 years-olds.
Conclusion: Rhode Island Hospital and The Miriam Hospital ED patients report a greater prevalence of substance use than the national population and in many cases the state general population.
Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01124591 NCT01419899.