Alcohol consumption in victims of violence: A trend study for the period 1970-1998

This 29-yr. retrospective study is about alcohol consumption by victims of violence intentionally injured (N = 13,048) and general patients unintentio nally injured (N=296,544) who were treated for their injuries at the Trauma Center of the University Hospital Groningen (The Netherlands) during the p eriod 1970-1998. The incidence rate for general patients with alcohol consu mption a as statistically significantly greater than the incidence rate of victims of violence with alcohol consumption. A long-term significant linea l trend was observed fur both types of patients during the 29-yr. period. H owever, the increase in incidence rate among the general patients with alco hol consumption was four times greater than the increase in incidence rate for the victims of violence with alcohol consumption. Males predominated in both types of patients (with and without alcohol consumption). The statist ically significant highest incidence tares (and male predominance) were fou nd in the age group 20-24 years for both categories of patients.