title: Use of ICD-9-CM codes in the estimation of alcohol-involved injury: search for a surrogate II.
abstract: This study presents a follow-up analysis of 22,427 injury cases drawn from the California Regional Trauma Registry. Whereas the earlier analysis developed a surrogate for alcohol-involved injuries using E-codes as reflective of injury type, this analysis explores the possibility of using ICD-9-CM diagnosis codes that have a longer history and are available in more jurisdictions. Findings reported herein indicate that the original demographic patterns predicting testing and alcohol involvement patterns were maintained in ICD-9-CM diagnostic code-based models. Moreover, although variables representing demographic background, time of day, and day of week clearly were the most powerful model predictors, ICD-9-CM diagnostic codes reflecting physician assessment that the patient had a chronic alcohol problem did improve the fit of models, and thus provide additional information concerning testing and blood alcohol concentration patterns. In contrast, ICD-9-CM diagnostic codes reflecting the specific nature of the injury, although statistically significant, explained little additional variability in alcohol involvement. Nevertheless, the overall model did accurately classify approximately 75% of those in the sample for whom blood alcohol concentration status information was available, suggesting its appropriateness for surrogate development.
authors.affiliation: Prevention Research Center, Berkeley, California 94704, USA.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Treno
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Gruenewald
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Ponicki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000097:blood / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol