Page 148 - Petelin, Ana, et al. 2019. Eds. Zdravje otrok in mladostnikov / Health of Children and Adolescents. Proceedings. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 148
avje otrok in mladostnikov | health of children and adolescents 146 Exposure of adolescents to alcohol represents a public health problem,
a financial and health burden and can lead to hospitalization and death due
to alcohol intoxication. All this is a tip rather than the iceberg (Rok-Simon,
Lovrečič, Lovrečič, and Šarc, 2018).
The National Institute for Public Health data show that among the in-
toxications by drugs and non-medical substances alcohol intoxication was the
most common reason in Slovenia for hospitalization of adolescents aged 15–
19 in the period between 2011 and 2015. In more than half of the intoxications,
alcohol was the reason for hospitalization. No statistically significant differ-
ence between the sexes was recorded in the degree of hospitalization. Regard-
ing the location of intoxication, adolescents were most frequently intoxicated
by alcohol in residential areas outside their home (39%), at school (6%) and on
the street or in a public park (6%). Similar observations were recorded in older
schoolchildren (aged 10–14) who were most frequently hospitalized due to al-
cohol intoxication (almost one third of all intoxications). Among them, boys
had a statistically higher level of hospitalizations compared with girls. They
were most frequently intoxicated by alcohol in residential areas outside their
home (93%) and on the street (12%). The National Institute for Public Health da-
ta show that in the period between 2015 and 2017, alcohol intoxication was the
reason for 330 hospitalizations of adolescents (aged 15–19) and 64 hospitaliza-
tions of children (aged 10–14) (Lovrečič and Lovrečič, 2018).
How to talk about alcohol in the clinical practice
Doctors and other health staff are obliged to help our patients to talk about the
problems they are facing and to enable them to answer our questions in a way
that makes diagnostic procedures and the planning of suitable treatment eas-
ier. It is expected that our patients trust us, since we are the doctors who want
to help them. Mostly, our patients do trust us. When the content is connect-
ed with feelings of shame, guilt or is stigmatized, the patients need more help
from the doctor to create the conditions for safe and confidential communi-
cation. Here, the technique of conversation based on a motivational interview
(Miller and Rollnick, 2013) helps us and saves us time. Such a conversation is
aimed at strengthening self-efficacy of the patient, it is empathic and accept-
ing. At the same time, it makes it possible for the doctor to express dissatisfac-
tion with inacceptable behaviour (such as alcohol consumption) in a respectful
way and by maintaining the patient’s dignity.
The doctor should check which information about alcohol consumption
the patients know and supplement it. The conversation is also an opportunity
to explore beliefs and opinions and possibly also myths about alcohol.
It is also important for the parents to cooperate. A child’s or adolescent’s
alcohol consumption is often a symptom of problems in the family. Clinical
practice has shown that parents who themselves experienced problems with
mental health or alcohol consumption and had positive experience with the
a financial and health burden and can lead to hospitalization and death due
to alcohol intoxication. All this is a tip rather than the iceberg (Rok-Simon,
Lovrečič, Lovrečič, and Šarc, 2018).
The National Institute for Public Health data show that among the in-
toxications by drugs and non-medical substances alcohol intoxication was the
most common reason in Slovenia for hospitalization of adolescents aged 15–
19 in the period between 2011 and 2015. In more than half of the intoxications,
alcohol was the reason for hospitalization. No statistically significant differ-
ence between the sexes was recorded in the degree of hospitalization. Regard-
ing the location of intoxication, adolescents were most frequently intoxicated
by alcohol in residential areas outside their home (39%), at school (6%) and on
the street or in a public park (6%). Similar observations were recorded in older
schoolchildren (aged 10–14) who were most frequently hospitalized due to al-
cohol intoxication (almost one third of all intoxications). Among them, boys
had a statistically higher level of hospitalizations compared with girls. They
were most frequently intoxicated by alcohol in residential areas outside their
home (93%) and on the street (12%). The National Institute for Public Health da-
ta show that in the period between 2015 and 2017, alcohol intoxication was the
reason for 330 hospitalizations of adolescents (aged 15–19) and 64 hospitaliza-
tions of children (aged 10–14) (Lovrečič and Lovrečič, 2018).
How to talk about alcohol in the clinical practice
Doctors and other health staff are obliged to help our patients to talk about the
problems they are facing and to enable them to answer our questions in a way
that makes diagnostic procedures and the planning of suitable treatment eas-
ier. It is expected that our patients trust us, since we are the doctors who want
to help them. Mostly, our patients do trust us. When the content is connect-
ed with feelings of shame, guilt or is stigmatized, the patients need more help
from the doctor to create the conditions for safe and confidential communi-
cation. Here, the technique of conversation based on a motivational interview
(Miller and Rollnick, 2013) helps us and saves us time. Such a conversation is
aimed at strengthening self-efficacy of the patient, it is empathic and accept-
ing. At the same time, it makes it possible for the doctor to express dissatisfac-
tion with inacceptable behaviour (such as alcohol consumption) in a respectful
way and by maintaining the patient’s dignity.
The doctor should check which information about alcohol consumption
the patients know and supplement it. The conversation is also an opportunity
to explore beliefs and opinions and possibly also myths about alcohol.
It is also important for the parents to cooperate. A child’s or adolescent’s
alcohol consumption is often a symptom of problems in the family. Clinical
practice has shown that parents who themselves experienced problems with
mental health or alcohol consumption and had positive experience with the
