New research has found the impact of alcohol on hospital emergency rooms is far greater than originally thought.
Two University of Otago students gathered data from the Christchurch Hospital emergency department over two weeks in November and December last year.
Photo: RNZ
The research found a third of patients from 11pm on Saturdays to 8am on Sundays were admitted because of alcohol.
For 88 percent of all alcohol-related admissions, the person had been drinking at a house, not a bar.
University of Otago professor Mike Ardagh, who helped with the research, said the figures are much higher than he expected.
He said the usual alcohol-impact estimates have been under-representing the problem by about 40 percent.
Mr Ardagh said the research will be used to help with local councils' alcohol policies, which are open for submissions this year.
