Cj. Cherpitel et al., PREDICTION OF ALCOHOL-RELATED CASUALTIES IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM - A UNITED-STATES-SPAIN COMPARISON, Journal of studies on alcohol, 54(3), 1993, pp. 308-314
Alcohol consumption variables predictive of casualties are compared in
probability samples of emergency room (ER) patients in two countries
with different drinking patterns: (1) Spain, where frequent light drin
king is the typical pattern (N = 2,072), and (2) the U.S. (i.e., Calif
ornia), where less frequent heavier drinking is more typical (N = 1,75
6). Logistic regression was used to evaluate the predictive value of b
reath-analyzer readings, drinking patterns and problems, time and plac
e of injury, and demographic characteristics on ER admission for injur
ies vs noninjuries and for alcohol-related injuries vs non-alcohol-rel
ated injuries. Quantity and frequency of drinking, time and place of i
njury, and feeling drunk at the time of the event were predictive of c
asualties in California. Drinking patterns were less predictive of inj
ury occurrence and of alcohol-related injury in Spain. One possible ex
planation for this difference may be that drinking is integrated into
society as part of the wine drinking culture in Spain, while in the U.
S. drinking occasions are more circumscribed by appropriateness of tim
e and place.