THE MEASUREMENT OF ALCOHOL-RELATED ACCIDENTS

This paper examines some of the major ethical and research issues asso ciated with the measurement and recording of alcohol-related problems. Because self-reports of the history of the amount of alcohol ingested are sometimes unreliable, the assessment of the role of alcohol in ca sualties often relies on a variety of methods which are both diverse a nd interrelated. The unique measurement problems posed by the diversit y of alcohol measures are reviewed and issues in selection and recordi ng bias of alcohol's involvement in injury are discussed A number of f undamental ethical and moral issues related to measurement are identif ied.