Alcohol-related emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and co-occurring injuries, active component, u.S. armed forces, 2009–2018

The military has a high prevalence of alcohol misuse, which can lead to injuries and negative health outcomes. This report characterizes the rate of alcohol-related emergency department and inpatient encounters in the military and the percentage of encounters with co-occurring injury. Between January 2009 and December 2018, there were 75.3 alcohol-related encounters per 10,000 person-years, with a 14.0% decline over the study period. Rates were higher among men, those aged 21–25 years, non-Hispanic whites, Army service members, junior enlisted, and those in combat-specific occupations compared to their respective counterparts. An increase in the rate of encounters in 2010 and 2012 mirrored the surge of troops in Afghanistan. Moreover, 17.1% of alcohol-related encounters were associated with co-occurring injuries. Intentional injuries constituted the largest mechanism of injury, and the percentage of injuries attributable to intentional causes trended down over the study period. Policies and programs that discourage heavy drinking, especially among those exposed to combat, have the potential to decrease medical encounters and injuries related to alcohol misuse.