Alcohol Involvement in Homicide Victimization in the United States.
Although the association between alcohol and homicide is well documented, there has been no recent study of alcohol involvement in homicide victimization in U.S. states. The objective of this article was to determine the prevalence of alcohol involvement in homicide victimization and to identify socio demographic and other factors associated with alcohol involvement in homicide victimization.



Data from homicide victims with a reported blood alcohol content (BAC) level were analyzed from 17 states from 2010 to 2012 using the National Violent Death Reporting System. Logistic regression was used to investigate factors associated with the odds of homicide victims having a BAC ≥ 0.08%.



Among all homicide victims, 39.9% had a positive BAC including 13.7% with a BAC between 0.01% and 0.79% and 26.2% of victims with a BAC ≥ 0.08%. Males were twice as likely as females to have a BAC ≥ 0.08% (29.1% vs. 15.2%; p < 0.001). Characteristics that were independent predictors of homicide victims having a BAC ≥ 0.08 included male sex, American Indian/Alaska Native race, Hispanic ethnicity, history of intimate partner violence, and nonfirearm homicides.



Alcohol is present in a substantial proportion of homicide victims in the United States, with substantial variation by state, demographic, and circumstantial characteristics. Future studies should explore the relationships between state-level alcohol policies and alcohol involvement among perpetrators and victims of homicide.
Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.|Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts.
Timothy S
TS
Naimi
Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts.
Ziming
Z
Xuan
Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.
Susanna E
SE
Cooper
Data Coordinating Center, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts.
Sharon M
SM
Coleman
Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.
Scott E
SE
Hadland
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Georgia State University School of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia.
Monica H
MH
Swahn
Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts.
Timothy C
TC
Heeren
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000067401:Blood Alcohol Content; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
D000067401:Blood Alcohol Content
Alcohol; Blood Alcohol Content; Homicide Victimization; Violent Death
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