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Table 2 Alcohol consumption, smoking status, psychological distress and emergency department presentation by sex and age group in NSW, 2002–2004

From: The effects of alcohol consumption, psychological distress and smoking status on emergency department presentations in New South Wales, Australia

Males

16–29 years % (n = 2,258)

30–59 years % (n = 7,122)

60+ years % (n = 5,076)

Total Males % (n = 14,456)

Alcohol consumptiona

    

   High risk (7+ males)

19.6

6.3

2.2

8.8

   Risky (5–6 males)

15.2

9.6

4.9

10.0

   Low risk (1–4 males)

45.6

67.8

68.7

62.5

   Non-drinker

19.5

16.3

24.1

18.7

Psychological distress

    

   High

8.8

8.3

6.0

7.9

   Moderate

19.9

17.0

14.7

17.3

   Low

71.3

74.7

79.3

74.8

Smoking status

    

   Current smoker

28.2

26.5

10.1

23.6

   Ex-smoker

27.3

38.4

58.6

39.8

   Never smoker

44.4

35.1

31.2

36.6

ED presentation

17.4

13.1

15.6

14.7

Females

16–29 years % (n = 2,876)

30–59 years % (n = 9,973)

60+ years % (n = 7,669)

Total Females % (n = 20,518)

Alcohol consumption a

    

   High risk (5+ females)

15.4

4.3

0.5

6.1

   Risky (3–4 females)

22.4

15.1

4.5

14.4

   Low risk (1–2 females)

31.6

51.5

50.2

46.4

   Non-drinker

30.6

29.1

44.8

33.0

Psychological distress

    

   High

12.7

10.6

8.0

10.5

   Moderate

23.4

18.5

18.0

19.6

   Low

63.9

70.8

74.0

69.9

Smoking status

    

   Current smoker

25.8

21.3

7.5

19.3

   Ex-smoker

27.1

33.8

32.9

32.0

   Never smoker

47.0

44.9

59.5

48.7

ED presentation

15.7

12.2

13.9

13.4

Persons

16–29 years % (n = 5,134)

30–59 years % (n = 17,095)

60+ years % (n= 12,745)

Total Persons % (n = 34,974)

Alcohol consumption a

    

   High risk (5+ females)

17.5

5.3

1.3

7.4

   Risky (3–4 females)

18.8

12.4

46.8

12.3

   Low risk (1–2 females)

38.6

59.6

58.8

26.0

   Non-drinker

25.1

22.7

35.2

54.3

Psychological distress

    

   High

10.7

9.5

7.1

9.3

   Moderate

21.7

17.8

16.5

18.5

   Low

67.6

72.8

76.4

72.3

Smoking status

    

   Current smoker

27.0

23.9

8.7

21.4

   Ex-smoker

27.2

36.1

44.8

35.8

   Never smoker

45.7

40.0

46.4

42.8

ED presentation

16.6

12.6

14.7

14.0

  1. Source: New South Wales Population Health Survey, Centre for Epidemiology and Research, NSW Department of Health.
  2. a Based on survey question: 'On a day when you drink alcohol, how many standard drinks do you usually have?'
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