Capacity to Consent in Acutely Intoxicated Emergency Department Patients

The University of California, San Diego Brief Assessment of Capacity to Consent Instrument in Acutely Intoxicated Emergency Department Patients

The ability to meaningfully consent intoxicated and chemically dependent patients for research has inhibited medical advances in this vulnerable population. A recent pilot supported use of the University of California, San Diego Brief Assessment of Capacity to Consent tool to assess the capacity of intoxicated emergency department patients to participate in research. The objective is to determine the number of intoxicated emergency department patients who could correctly complete the questionnaire, and evaluate alcohol concentration, sedation and ability to recall participation upon sobriety.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18 years or older, intoxicated with alcohol

Exclusion Criteria:

• intoxication was due to a substance other than ethanol (negative breath alcohol concentration), refusal to participate, excessive agitation, or if the treating physician deemed the patient medically or psychologically unstable. Patients were also excluded if they had previously been enrolled in the study