Epidemiological analyses of alcohol poisoning patients in 120 emergency medical service of a city in Shandong Province from 2022 to 2024

Objective To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of patients with acute alcohol poisoning in a city in Shandong Province and to provide a scientific basis for formulating targeted prevention and control strategies. Methods Relevant data on cases of acute alcohol poisoning in the period from 2022 to 2024 were obtained through the command and dispatch system of the 120 Emergency Medical Center in a city in Shandong Province. Data on the permanent resident population were obtained from the city’s Statistical Bulletin on National Economic and Social Development. Using descriptive epidemiological methods, we analyzed the temporal, demographic, and geographic distribution of cases and calculated the number of cases, composition ratios, and incidence rates. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0 software, and the chi-square test was used to compare composition ratios between groups. Results A total of 9 570 emergency cases of alcohol poisoning were included in the study. with case numbers first rising and then declining over the three-year period (a 36.23% increase in 2023 compared to 2022, and an 8.23% decrease in 2024 compared to 2023). A total of 9 012 cases had complete gender and age information, including 7 787 males and 1 225 females, with a male-to-female ratio of 6.36:1. The age groups with the highest incidence were 25–34 years (2,357 cases, 26.15%) and 45–54 years (2 285 cases, 25.36%). Winter (2 743 cases, 28.66%) and summer (2 411 cases, 25.19%) were the peak seasons. The number of alcohol poisoning cases was highest on Saturdays and Sundays, accounting for 32.54% of the weekly total. In terms of regional distribution, HT District had the fewest cases (364 cases, 3.80%), while KW District had the most (2 390 cases, 24.97%); the differences among districts over the three-year period were statistically significant (χ²=137.074，P<0.05). Conclusion From 2022 to 2024, cases of alcohol poisoning in a certain city in Shandong Province generally followed a trend of first rising and then declining. The cases were predominantly among young and middle-aged men, with winter, summer, and weekends being the peak periods, and regional variations were observed. This suggests that targeted preventive interventions should be implemented for key populations, during peak periods, and in high-incidence areas.