The Prevalence of Illicit Drug and Alcohol Use in Trauma Patients
https://doi.org/10.22034/hssr.2025.560329.1011
Touraj Assadi, Mahmood Moosazadeh, Farzad Bozorgi, Iraj Goli Khatir, Navid Khosravi, Seyed Mohammad Hosseininejad, Seyed Hossein Montazer, Seyed Shahaboddin Adyani, Hamed Aminiahidashti
Abstract Objectives: To determine the prevalence of psychoactive drug and alcohol use and their association with demographic factors such as age and gender, as well as accident characteristics among trauma patients presenting to the emergency department of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Sari, Iran.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted over two years and included all eligible patients (aged 18 and above) who presented to the emergency department due to traffic accidents. Urine samples were collected for biochemical screening using multi drug assesing techniques. Demographic data, accident details, and medical history were also recorded and analyzed. Chi-square and independent t-tests were used to assess statistical associations.
Results: The most commonly detected substances were cannabis (48.5%), methamphetamine (18.2%), and benzodiazepines (19.2%). Although substance use was observed across different age groups and patient roles (pedestrian, driver, passenger, etc.), most cases showed no statistically significant association between substance use and demographic variables. Specifically, no significant associations were found for methadone (p=0.382), cannabis (p=0.212), methamphetamine (p=0.292), amphetamine (p=0.232), benzodiazepines (p=0.134), tramadol (p=0.815), morphine (p>0.05), or tricyclic antidepressants (TCA) (p>0.05) with age, gender, or the patient's role in the accident. The only statistically significant findings were the association between alcohol use and accident occurrence (p=0.035), as well as gender differences in alcohol consumption (p=0.027).
Conclusion: The findings highlight the need for continuous and comprehensive monitoring of drug use among trauma patients, with particular attention to alcohol consumption. The study underscores the importance of developing targeted interventions at both local and national levels to prevent substance-related traffic accidents.