The pedestrian trauma patient. Perspectives from a psychiatric consultation service.
The hospital course of adult pedestrians injured by automobiles and treated by a university trauma service over a 12-month period was reviewed to evaluate the prevalence, recognition, and intervention of substance use and suicidal behavior. The study showed that the pedestrian trauma patient had a dramatically high rate of substance use and a surprisingly low index of suspicion of suicide attempt by the treatment team as a cause of the accident. Appropriate intervention might greatly reduce the financial and human cost of trauma care, but awareness and identification of these risk factors must be taught first.
Kliger
D M
DM
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, Irvine Medical Center, Orange.
Sporty
L D
LD
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D000431:Ethanol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D000431:Ethanol