title: Social, behavioral and driving characteristics of injured pedestrians: a comparison with other unintentional trauma patients.
abstract: Pedestrian injuries represent 11% of all motor vehicle related injuries in the USA. This study attempts to define the epidemiology of the pedestrian victim. Patients admitted to a regional adult trauma center were interviewed and evaluated for substance abuse. Pedestrians were compared with the remaining unintentional trauma patients with regard to demographics, socioeconomics, possession of a driver's license, injury prone behaviors, risk taking dispositions, and BAC levels using the Student's t-test and Pearson's chi2 statistic (alpha=0.05). Multivariate logistic regression models were built with pedestrian mechanism as the outcome. When compared to the remaining unintentional trauma population (N=661), pedestrians (N=113) were significantly more likely to be black, not married, unemployed, binge drinkers, alcohol dependent, drug dependent, BAC+, to have a low income, low educational achievement, younger age, and to not have a driver license. Black race, unemployment of 1 year or more, never licensed, lapsed license, revoked license and BAC>200 mg/dl showed statistical significance in the multiple logistic regression. Pedestrians represent a sub-population with a low socioeconomic status and high incidence of substance abuse. Unemployment, not having a driver's license, black race, and a BAC>200 mg/dl were strongly linked to being an injured pedestrian.
authors.affiliation: National Study Center for Trauma and Emergency Medical Systems, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 701 West Pratt Street, Fifth Floor, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. gabyryb@pol.net
authors.forename: Gabriel E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Ryb
authors.forename: Patricia C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Dischinger
authors.forename: Joseph A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Kufera
authors.forename: Carl A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Soderstrom
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology; D001334:Automobile Driving; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008004:Licensure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol