23% of 'apparently drunk' presentations to Cork hospital are people experiencing homelessness

Almost three quarters of all patients who were classified as 'apparently drunk' in triage were men, while the average age of such patients was 39 years

Research led by medical staff at the HSE South West’s Department of Public Health found there was an 18% increase in the number of 'apparently drunk' patients attending the emergency department of Mercy University Hospital (MUH) in Cork between 2022 and 2023. File Picture: Larry Cummins

There is a growing trend in the number of patients arriving in the emergency department of one of Cork’s main hospitals in an “apparently drunk” condition, which may be linked to an increase in homeless numbers, according to a new study.

Research led by medical staff at the HSE South West’s Department of Public Health found there was an 18% increase in the number of “apparently drunk” patients attending the emergency department of Mercy University Hospital (MUH) in Cork between 2022 and 2023.