Objectives: Unintentional injuries resulted in 94,948 deaths in 1996, the leading cause of death for persons age 1-34. Alcohol was involved in at least 1/3 of these deaths. This study explored whether people who start drinking at earlier ages are more likely to experience unintentional injuries under the influence of alcohol even after controlling for personal history of alcohol dependence and frequency of heavy drinking.
Methods: US Census Bureau asked 42,862 randomly selected adults age 18 and older, mean age 44, questions about their age of drinking onset, frequency of heavy drinking and unintentional injury involvement under the influence of alcohol. Household and in person response rates were 91.9% and 97.4%.
Results: Compared to those who started at age 21 or older, respondents who began drinking before age 14 were 5 times more likely ever and were 3.2 times more likely in the past year to have been injured under the influence of alcohol after controlling for drug use, smoking, family history of alcoholism and other demographic characteristics associated with age of drinking onset. They were 2.9 times more likely to have been injured under the influence of alcohol ever and 2.0 times more likely in the past year after further adjusting for past year and lifetime personal history of alcohol dependence and heavy drinking.
Conclusions: Delaying the age of drinking onset may reduce injuries, not only among persons under the legal drinking age of 21, but among adults as well.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the learner in this session will understand whether the age people start drinking alcohol is related to: 1. How much they drink later in life 2. Whether they are more likely to place themselves in situations after drinking that increase injury risk (regardless of their heavy drinking frequency.) 3. Whether they are more likely to be injured under the influence of alcohol
Keywords: Alcohol, Injury
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.