Acute and usual drinking among emergency trauma patients: a study on alcohol consumption and injury patterns.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between usual and acute alcohol consumption among injured patients and, when combined, how they covary with other injury attributes.


METHODS
Data from a randomised sample of 486 injured patients interviewed in an emergency department (Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland) were analysed using the chi(2) test for independence and cluster analysis.


RESULTS
Acute alcohol consumption (24.7%) was associated with usual drinking and particularly with high volumes of consumption. Six injury clusters were identified. Over-representations of acute consumption were found in a cluster typical of injuries sustained through interpersonal violence and in another formed by miscellaneous circumstances. A third cluster, typical of sports injuries, was linked to a group of frequent heavy episodic drinkers (without acute consumption).


CONCLUSIONS
Among injured patients, acute alcohol consumption is common and associated with usual drinking. Acute and/or usual consumption form part of some, but not all, injury clusters.
Kuendig
H
H
Karolinska Institutet, Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of International Health, Nobels väg9, Stockholm SE 171 77, Sweden. herve.kuendig@ki.se
Hasselberg
M
M
Gmel
G
G
Daeppen
J-B
JB
Laflamme
L
L
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000150:complications*; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014754:Violence; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult