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Comparison of random and postaccident urine drug tests in southern Indiana coal miners
1From the St. Mary's Occupational Medicine Clinic, Evansville, Indiana 47711, USA. james.price@stmarys.org
Background:
This study examines the relationship between the use of 9 classes of substances (amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cocaine, marijuana, methadone, opioids, phencyclidine, and propoxyphene) and coal-mining accidents.
Methods:
The control sample (n = 215) made up of miners that presented for random urine drug testing. The study sample (n = 100) consists of miners that presented for postaccident urine drug testing. Nonparametric Mann-Whitney U tests of creatinine normalized urine drug levels were conducted to compare the medians of the groups.
Results:
The mean drug concentrations were higher in the postaccident group for each drug tested except marijuana. Two-tailed testing demonstrated statistically significant differences for marijuana (P = 0.000), cocaine (P = 0.008), and opiates (P = 0.037).
Conclusions:
The study demonstrates statistically significant higher cocaine and opioid concentrations and lower marijuana concentrations in postaccident urine drug tests of coal miners when compared with random tests.
