Substance use in vulnerable patients with orofacial injury: prevalence, correlates, and unmet service needs.
BACKGROUND
A large portion of the injuries treated at urban trauma centers are preventable with alcohol and substance use presenting as common antecedent risk factors.


METHODS
Alcohol and drug use characteristics of vulnerable adults treated for intentional orofacial injury at a regional trauma center were investigated. Patients (N = 154) presenting with intentional facial injury were recruited. Patients were considered eligible for recruitment if they were adults, recently used alcohol or drugs, and had a fracture within the 30 days preceding recruitment that involved the jaw, orbit, nose, or cheekbone as determined by clinical history, examination, and radiographic findings and that injury was due to interpersonal violence.


RESULTS
This patient cohort evidenced significant levels of alcohol use, with 58% of our patient cohort meeting the criteria for problem drinking. Although lower than alcohol use rates, the reported use of illicit drugs was substantial. Almost half of the sample reported other substance use in the previous month, with 24% meeting the criteria for problem drug use.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the very high percentage of individuals needing alcohol or drug treatment, only a small proportion of the patient sample reported having seen a professional for alcohol or drug treatment. Integrating substance use services into trauma care is discussed.
Murphy
Debra A
DA
Health Risk Reduction Projects, Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, Department of Psychiatry, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90025-7539, USA. dmurphy@mednet.ucla.edu
Shetty
Vivek
V
Resell
Judith
J
Zigler
Cory
C
Yamashita
Dennis Duke
DD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005151:Facial Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D035862:Vulnerable Populations