title: Variations of alcohol impairment in different types, causes and contexts of injuries: results of emergency room studies from 16 countries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this paper is to document alcohol impairment (based on a blood alcohol content (BAC) of at least 80 mg%) for different types, causes and location contexts of injuries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 45 studies with 11,536 injury patients were merged to determine variations in the percent of alcohol impairment among injury patients. In each study, emergency room (ER) injury patients were given a short interview on the circumstances of their injury and BAC was measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Injury severity, measured by number of body regions injured was significantly associated with BACs over 80 mg%. The highest percentage of injury type to involve alcohol was head injury/concussion. In terms of causes of injuries, patients with alcohol impairment were significantly more likely to be involved in violence than any other cause (i.e., vehicle, falling, poisoning or burns). Finally, injuries occurring at a bar or restaurant were significantly more likely to involve alcohol impairment than any other setting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results demonstrate considerable variation in the circumstances where alcohol is involved in injuries. These results may be useful for the development of prevention initiatives.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Addictions Research of BC and School of Health Information Science, University of Victoria, BC STN CSC, Vic. BC, Canada, V8W 2Y2. scottmac@uvic.ca
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Macdonald
authors.forename: Cheryl J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Cherpitel
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: DeSouza
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stockwell
authors.forename: Guilherme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.forename: Norman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Giesbrecht
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002056:Burns / Q000453:epidemiology; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol