Don’t lose sight: last drinks laws reduce violent assaults

Egerton-Warburton, Diana

doi:10.5694/mja17.01111

Topics

The evidence that reducing trading hours reduces alcohol-related violence is compelling

Alcohol-related violence has a large impact on the Australian health care system and on society. Emergency departments (EDs) and acute surgical services are the frontline in dealing with these presentations. A prospective study of eight EDs in Australia and New Zealand found that almost one in ten presentations are alcohol-related throughout the week.1 Further, ED clinicians frequently experience violence and aggression inflicted by patients affected by alcohol.2

1 Monash University, Melbourne, VIC
2 Monash Health, Melbourne, VIC

Correspondence: diana.egertonwarburton@monashhealth.org

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

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