Is it worth emergency departments recording information about alcohol-related assault occurring in inner-city, late-night entertainment precincts?

Review article: Emergency department data sharing to reduce alcohol‐related violence: A systematic review of the feasibility and effectiveness of community‐level interventions

“…Five of eight studies reported findings on the effectiveness of varying targeted interventions based on ED data . Two studies assessed the feasibility of using ED data to identify high‐risk nightlife venues, districts and communities areas as potential targets for intervention . Finally, one study assessed the accuracy of high‐risk venue identification using ED data by cross‐referencing with police assault records and environmental observations and surveys …”

“…Four of seven studies, all conducted in the UK, reported using data collected through an ISS . The remaining four studies implemented data collection protocols that were specific to the purpose of the research and consequently used data from a smaller sample of EDs overall, with three integrating research items into computerised triage tools, and one affixing a special sticker to patient records . In all studies, ED data were rendered non‐identifiable or ‘pseudo‐anonymised’ (e.g.…”

Last drinks: A study of rural emergency department data collection to identify and target community alcohol‐related violence

“…All studies that attempted to measure intervention effectiveness reported substantial reductions of assaults and ED attendances post-intervention, with one reporting no change. 14 Only one small pilot study has investigated the feasibility of this methodology in an Australian context, 15 with the authors emphasising the ability to cheaply and efficiently monitor alcohol-related assaults in the central nightlife district of Cairns, Queensland. However, this pilot was limited by a relatively short data collection period, and lacked reporting of identification of specific high-risk licensed venues and public areas.…”

Driving change: A partnership study protocol using shared emergency department data to reduce alcohol‐related harm

“…In a systematic review of evidence for the model, seven of eight included studies were conducted in UK EDs. All studies that attempted to measure intervention effectiveness reported substantial reductions of assaults and ED attendances post‐intervention, with the exception of one, which reported no change . In Cardiff, UK, police‐recorded assault rates fell from seven to five a month per 100 000 population compared with an increase from five to eight in comparison cities .…”