Alcohol and/or other drug use among adult non-occupant motor vehicle crash victims.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the frequency of current or lifetime history of alcohol and/or other drug (AOD) use among the full range (admitted and discharged) of injured bicyclists and pedestrians involved in motor vehicle crashes.


METHODS
In a prospective study of non-occupant motor vehicle crash (NOMVC) victims >or=18 years over a 29-month period, blood was obtained for alcohol and drug testing. Current alcohol abuse/alcohol dependence (AA/AD) or drug abuse/drug dependence (DA/DD) was based on the Diagnostic Interview Survey.


RESULTS
In all, there were 108 NOMVC victims. Eleven per cent were alcohol (+), 7% drug (+), and 3% both. Sixteen per cent were AA/AD (+), 2.7% DA/DD (+), and 1.4% both.


CONCLUSIONS
A substantial portion of patients with NOMVC injuries tested AOD (+) and had a current or lifetime substance abuse (AA/AD; DA/DD) diagnosis.
Weber
Jim Edward
JE
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, USA.
Maio
Ronald F
RF
Blow
Frederic C
FC
Hill
Elizabeth M
EM
Barry
Kristen L
KL
Waller
Patricia F
PF
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001642:Bicycling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016138:Walking / Q000706:statistics & numerical data