Prevalence of acute alcohol use in patients presenting to hospital for injurious falls, organised by defined blood alcohol threshold and country
| First author (year)ref | Country (study duration) | Sample type (BAC cut-off, %) | Proportion tested, n/N (%) | Patients with fall-related injuries, n/Total patients in the study, N (%) | Prevalence, n/N (%) |
| BAC threshold <0.05 | |||||
| Albrecht (2018)24 | USA (NR) | Blood (>0) | Patients without toxicology data were excluded | 499/1084 (46.0) | 126/499 (25.3) |
| Valdez (2016)50 | USA (January 1 2012–December 31 2012) | Blood (>0) | NR | 566/1397 (40.5) | 247/566 (43.6)
|
| Nweze (2016)43 | USA (January 2013–December 2013) | Blood (≥0.001) | Patients without toxicology data were excluded | 156/738 (21.1) | 62/156 (39.7)
|
| Ye (2013)53 | USA (1985–1996) | NR (≥0.01) | NR | 351/1819 (19.3)* | 56/351 (15.9)* |
| Canada (1989–2009) | 246/787 (31.3)* | 24/246 (9.7)* | |||
| Brazil (2001) | 160/496 (32.3)* | 7/160 (4.4)* | |||
| Argentina (2001) | 203/682 (29.7)* | 28/203 (13.9)* | |||
| Dominican Republic (2010–2011) | 79/501 (15.8)* | 5/79 (6.3)* | |||
| Guatemala (2010–2011) | 150/513 (29.2)* | 13/150 (8.7)* | |||
| Guyana (2010–2011) | 115/485 (23.8)* | 14/115 (11.9)* | |||
| Mexico (1986–2002) | 535/2247 (23.8)* | 79/535 (14.7)* | |||
| Nicaragua (2010–2011) | 111/518 (21.4)* | 10/111 (9.3)* | |||
| Panama (2010–2011) | 123/490 (25.1)* | 16/123 (12.8)* | |||
| Rundhaug (2015)46 | Norway (October 2004–October 2011) | Blood (>0) | 217/265 (81.9) | 104/265 (39.2) | 46/81 (56.8) |
| Bogstrand (2011)30 | Norway (December 2007–December 2008) | Blood (>0.01) | 1882/2118 (88.9) | 605/1272 (47.6) | NR/NR (23) |
| Staton (2018)47 | Tanzania (5 August 2013–21 July 2014) | Breath (≥0.01) | 516/523 (98.7) | 53/516 (10.3) | 14/53 (26.4) |
| Cordovilla-Guardia (2018)34 | Spain (31 non-consecutive months between November 2011 and June 2015 | Blood (≥0.03) | 1187/1818 (65.3) | 433/929 (46.6) | 74/433 (17.1)
|
| BAC threshold ≥0.05 | |||||
| Chuang (2016)32 | Taiwan (1 January 2009–31 December 2013) | Blood (>0.05) | Patients without toxicology data were excluded | 2630/2630 (100), including 2072 falls from a height <1 metre and 530 falls from a height ≥1 metre | 55/2630 (2.1) |
| Peng (2016)45 | Taiwan (1 January 2009–31 December 2014) | Blood (≥0.05) | NR | 2103/11 033 (19.1) | 93/2103 (4.4)† |
| Martin (2017)39 | USA (September 2013–March 2015) | Serum (>0.08) | NR | 3357/10 191 (32.9), including 2138 ground level falls and 1219 falls from a height | 680/3357 (20.3)† |
| Talving (2010)49 | USA (2003) | Blood (≥0.08) | Patients without toxicology data were excluded | 204/815 (25)* | NR/NR (46) |
| Yue (2017)51 | USA (2010–2012) | Blood (≥0.08) | 107/301 (35.5) | 51/107 (47.7) | 17/51 (33.3) |
| BAC threshold not reported | |||||
| Dorji (2017)35 | Bhutan (8 April 2015–21 October 2015) | Breath (NR) | 339/374 (90.6) | 80/339 (23.6) | 31 (21–42)‡ |
| Forson (2016)37 | Ghana (3 November 2014–11 April 2015) | Breath or saliva (NR) | Patients without toxicology data were excluded | 172/1085 (15.9) | 35/172 (20.3) |
| Bjarko et al (2019)29 | Norway (October 1 2004–September 30 2014) | Blood (NR) | 362/493 (73) | 229/493 (46.5) | 99/299 (33)* |
| Benson (2018)27 | USA (2007–2012) | Blood (NR) | Approximately 82% | 855/28 354 (3.0) | 299/855 (35.0) |
| Bernier (2016)28 | USA (January 1992–December 2009) | Blood (NR) | Patients without toxicology data were excluded | 2367/11 943 (19.8) | 938/2367 (39.6) |
| Chippendale (2017)31 | USA (November 2013–May 2015) | Blood (NR) | NR | 711/711 (100) | NR/NR (11.2) |
| Ekeh (2014)36 | USAs (January 2006–December 2010) | Blood (NR) | 499/4139 (12.1) | 2401/4139 (58) | NR/NR (13.3) |
| Pandit (2014)44 | USA (2007–2010) | Serum (NR) | Patients without toxicology data were excluded | 5927/23 983 (24.7)* | 1464/5928 (24.7)* |
| Strong (2016)48 | USA (January 1997–December 2008) | Blood (NR) | 43 403/46 226 (93.9) | 7541/7541 (100) | 1515/6961 (21.8) |
*Some values were estimates using available data.
†Denominator is the total number of patients with fall-related injuries rather than the number of patients who were tested, as reported in the study.
‡Reported as % (95% CI).
AIS, Abbreviated Injury Scale; AOD, alcohol and other drug; BAC, blood alcohol concentration; GCS, Glasgow Coma Scale; ISS, Injury Severity Score; NR, not reported; TBI, traumatic brain injury.