title: Alcohol-related injuries, hazardous drinking, and BrAC levels among a sample of bar patrons.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alcohol-related injuries are a serious public health issue and research has found that alcohol consumption is positively correlated with injury risk.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To better understand the association between alcohol consumption and injury risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted four anonymous cross-sectional field studies among a sample of bar patrons (N = 917) to assess breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) levels, hazardous drinking levels (based on AUDIT-C score), and past year alcohol-related injuries in Fall 2014. Next, we conducted two logistic regression analyses to predict alcohol-related injuries: one model used hazardous drinking level as a predictor variable and the other model used BrAC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among participants in our sample, the average BrAC% was .076 (SD =.055) and the average hazardous drinking score (based on the AUDIT-C) was 5.0 (SD = 2.6). The majority of participants indicated that they had not experienced an alcohol-related injury in the past year (859; 93.7%). Our regression analyses found that each incremental increase in a participants' hazardous drinking score increased the odds of experiencing a self-reported alcohol-related injury by 1.4 times and as BrAC increased one unit of change (percentage), the odds of a past-year alcohol related injury increased twofold (OR = 2.2). Other covariates (ie, age, gender, race, college student status) did not significantly predict alcohol-related injuries in either model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High-risk drinking behaviors, including higher BrAC levels, greatly influenced experiencing an alcohol-related injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first examination of BrAC levels and alcohol-related injuries in a primarily college student sample.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Education and Promotion, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Ryan J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Education and Promotion, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Kerry
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brechbiel
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Education and Promotion, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Beth H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Chaney
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Education and Promotion, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cremeens-Matthews
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Education and Promotion, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vail-Smith
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000067292:Alcohol Drinking in College / Q000523:psychology; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001944:Breath Tests; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003617:Dangerous Behavior; D000431:Ethanol / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D057566:Self Report; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol