Socio-demographic predictors of alcohol-related injury in the Americas

Alcohol consumption is closely tied to social norms and expectancies that dictate who may drink and when it is socially acceptable to do so. These standards can vary by a multitude of factors depending on the personal, social, and cultural expectations placed on the individual. While countries such as the US and Canada have a substantial body of literature on injuries related to alcohol, the research in many of the developing Pan American countries is scarce. This work examines demographic characteristics of injury patients in Emergency departments (EDs) from 10 countries in the Americas (N=8,538). Findings show that patients in lower-income countries (Guatemala, Nicaragua, Guyana) were less likely to be current users of alcohol but the incidence of alcohol consumption before the injury was similar to those from the upper-middle (Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Dominican Republic) and high-income (US, Canada) countries. Men were more likely to have an alcohol related injury in every income category but younger age (under 30) was only predictive for upper-middle and high-income countries. Men who drank alcohol before an injury were more likely to be under the age of 30, educated, and unemployed, while younger age was the only characteristic predictive for injured women. Conclusions: There is a paucity of research related to alcohol consumption and injury in economically developing countries. Findings show a need for alcohol interventions that target youth. This is especially critical in Latin American countries where nearly a third of the population is under the age of 30.