NCJ Number
204891
Date Published
January 2004
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This DAWN (Drug Abuse Warning Network) report presents data on the number and types of drug-related visits to 15 hospitals in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area in 2002.
Abstract
Currently hospitals in the Washington area and 20 other metropolitan areas participate in the DAWN network, as they follow standard procedures for keeping records on cases that have involved medical treatment for drug abuse. This 2002 report for DAWN hospitals in the Washington area indicates that of the 1.3 million visits to the participating hospital emergency departments (ED's) in 2002, approximately 1 percent (10,554) were related to drug abuse. The most common drugs involved in these ED visits were alcohol in combination with other drugs, cocaine, marijuana, heroin, and phencyclidine (PCP). Between 2001 and 2002, the rate of PCP-related ED visits increased 143 percent, from 13 to 31 visits per 100,000 population. Among the 21 DAWN areas in 2002, Washington had one of the highest rates of ED visits that involved PCP. From 1995 to 2002, the rate of cocaine-related ED visits in Washington remained stable at 71 visits per 100,000 population. Washington's rate of marijuana-related ED visits in 2002 (55 visits per 100,000 population) was near the national average (47). From 1995 to 2002, the rate of heroin-related ED visits in Washington remained stable at 38 visits per 100,000 population. Figures are presented to show Washington's rate of ED visits for cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and PCP compared with the other 20 DAWN metro areas.