Alcohol-themed items in hospital gift shops

In 2014, 9% of non-maternity hospital discharges, among persons over the age of 12 in the United States, included an alcohol-related diagnosis (1). We were, therefore, surprised to see alcohol-themed gifts on a visit to a hospital gift shop.

To determine if alcohol-themed items are carried by gift shops by some high-quality hospitals, we explored gift shops at four hospitals in May 2019, two in North Carolina and two in New York City, from the U.S. News and World Report list of 158 “best” hospitals in the United States (2). An alcohol-themed item was defined as one with words or pictures relating to alcohol drinking or intoxication. This was not human subjects research.

We found alcohol-themed items at the gift shops in each of the four hospitals we visited; there were 24 separate items identified. We observed cups, coasters, drinking glasses, greeting cards, napkins, neckties, pitchers, socks and towels, with text and/or pictures related to alcohol drinking or intoxication. Items included, among others: 1) a drinking glass with the words, “Let the party be gin” and a picture of a bottle labeled “gin” and a bottle labeled “tonic water”; 2) a towel with the words, “Of course I drink like a fish, I’m a mermaid” and a picture of a glass with liquid, ice cubes and a paper umbrella; 3) a pitcher with the words, “It’s a margarita kind of day”. Many illustrated what David Sedaris has sarcastically referred to as “the lighter side” (3) of alcohol use disorder.

The presence of those alcohol-related items at four of four hospitals from two geographic areas suggests it may not be an uncommon practice. However, we were unable to estimate the percentage of “best” hospitals in the U.S. whose gift shops carry alcohol-themed items based on this small convenience sample.

Although patients may be too ill to visit a hospital gift shop, family members may stop in to get a gift or to get snacks or provisions. Alcohol-themed gifts may normalize excessive drinking for family members at a time when social support to encourage abstinence may help persons with alcohol-related disorders engage with treatment.

While the appropriateness of items joking about excessive alcohol consumption may be debatable in an open society, their presence in hospital gift shops should not be. Hospitals have implemented tobacco-free policies for their campuses as a commitment to the health of patients, visitors and staff members; they should also provide an environment free of messages joking about alcohol drinking, intoxication, or excessive use. Alcohol-themed items should not be carried in hospital gift shops.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Data availability

There is no data set associated with this letter.