Alcohol and injury: a survey in primary care settings

Several high profile events in Dunedin have focused attention on alcohol-related harm in the city. We sought to obtain local information regarding alcohol use and drinking location in order to better inform planning for local strategies to reduce alcohol-related harm in the future.

A cross-sectional survey of first-presentation injury consultations for patients 16 years and older presenting to three primary care facilities was undertaken over a 2-month period. The anonymous survey provided information about the nature of the injury, alcohol use in the 6 hours prior to injury, and identification of the location where the 'last drink' was consumed.

17% of people aged 16 and over presenting to the three practices had had an alcoholic drink in the 6 hours prior to injury. Of this group, 36% had had moderate intake of alcohol and 64% a hazardous intake according to the ALAC criteria for the maximum number of standard drinks on one drinking occasion of 4 for women and 6 for men. The mean number of standard drinks recalled by drinkers in this survey was 9. Tertiary students and young people were more likely to have been drinking than others, and a greater proportion of women (24%) had been drinking prior to injury than men (11%).The majority of drinkers (62%) had their last drink at a house or flat.

These results provide new information with respect to the role of drinking location in alcohol-related harm, in particular the important role of drinking in private homes. It also demonstrates the association between alcohol and injury in primary care settings in New Zealand. The current review of the Sale of Liquor Act is timely and should consider restricting the availability of alcohol in on and off licensed premises in order to minimise hazardous drinking in a range of drinking locations.