emergency department

Dug Yeo Han Aim This study investigated the role of alcohol in injury cases among patients attending an emergency department in Auckland during December 2000. Methods A random sample of patients was interviewed and breath tested in the emergency department. Interviewing took place continuously for a three-week period. Using a case-crossover design the causal role of alcohol was assessed. Results Thirty five per cent of injured patients reported having consumed alcohol prior to sustaining their injury; this is a high proportion compared with overseas research. Males and the under 30 years age group were over-represented in both alcohol-related and non alcohol-related injury cases. The risk of sustaining an injury was 2.8 times greater when alcohol was consumed. The median amount of self-reported absolute alcohol consumed prior to alcohol-involved injury was 103 ml (equivalent to about seven cans of beer), with the lower quartile at 37 ml and upper quartile at 246 ml. For injury cases reporting consumption of alcohol prior to thei