title: The study of the relationship between lifestyle characteristic self-reported drinking patterns and trauma.
abstract: A total of 161 usable interviews were obtained with 297 consecutive admissions to a Level I trauma center for purposes of evaluating patient socioeconomic patterns related to trauma. The median age of the purposeful sample was 31. There were 67.1% males, 29.2% females, and 3.7% unidentified; 43.5% were MVAs, 8.1% motorcycles, 2.5% pedestrians, 10.6% falls, and 3.7% penetrating trauma. Of those patients found ETOH positive, 40.8% admitted to drinking and driving regularly, 12.5% admitted to being previously arrested for DUI, 45% admitted that alcohol caused their current trauma, 28.6% had been previously arrested for traffic violation. Three-fourths did not routinely wear seat belts. The average education level of trauma victims was 12.2 years; 94% are blue collar workers. In summary the average trauma victim was a young adult male who had completed high school, somewhat below average earnings, and had a strong history of regular alcohol use as part of his lifestyle.
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001334:Automobile Driving; D004522:Educational Status; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009790:Occupations; D012622:Seat Belts / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol