• Kerrianne Watt, David M Purdie, Ann M Roche, and Roderick J McClure.
• Australian Centre for Pre-Hospital Research, Queensland Ambulance Service, Brisbane, Queensland 4001, Australia. kwatt@emergency.qld.gov.au
• Alcohol Alcohol. 2005 Jul 1; 40 (4): 263-8.

AimsThe aim of this study was to quantify the relationship between acute alcohol consumption and injury type (nature of injury, body region injured), while adjusting for the effect of known confounders (i.e. demographic and situational variables, usual drinking patterns, substance use and risk-taking behaviour).MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted between October, 2000 and October, 2001 of patients aged >or=15 years presenting to a Queensland Emergency Department for treatment of an injury sustained in the preceding 24 h. There were three measures of acute alcohol consumption: drinking setting, quantity, and beverage type consumed in the 6 h prior to injury. Two variables were used to quantify injury type: nature of injury (fracture/dislocation, superficial, internal, and CNS injury) and body part injured (head/neck, facial, chest, abdominal, external, and extremities). Both were derived from patient medical records.ResultsFive hundred and ninety three patients were interviewed. Logistic regression analyses indicated that, after controlling for relevant confounding variables, there was no significant association between any of the three measures of acute alcohol consumption and injury type.ConclusionsThe effects of acute alcohol consumption are not specific to injury type. Interventions aimed at reducing the incidence of alcohol-related injury should not be targeted at specific injury types.

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