Narges Khanjani1, Masoomeh Mousavi2,3, Amirreza Dehghanian4,5, Yunes Jahani6, Hamid Soori7. 1. a Environmental Health Engineering Research Center , School of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences , Kerman , Iran. 2. b Shiraz University of Medical Sciences , Shiraz , Iran. 3. c Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics , School of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences , Kerman , Iran. 4. d Trauma Research Center , Shahid Rajaee (Emtiaz) Trauma Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences , Shiraz , Iran. 5. e Department of Pathology , Shiraz Medical School, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences , Shiraz , Iran. 6. f Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology , School of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences , Kerman , Iran. 7. g Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention Research Center , Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Traffic accidents and traffic-related injuries and mortality have become a major public health concern in Iran. This study aimed to examine the role of drug and alcohol use in motor vehicle accidents in Iran. METHODS: This case-crossover study was conducted on 441 drivers who survived a road traffic crash and were taken to the emergency department of Shahid Rajaee trauma hospital in Shiraz, southern Iran. Data were collected using checklists that included demographic characteristics and drug and alcohol use prior to driving. Alcohol and drug use was identified through self-report, and cannabis, morphine, and methamphetamine urine tests were used to confirm drug abuse among drivers. RESULTS: In total 17.9% of drivers reported using drugs (cannabis, opium, or metamphetamine) and 8.84% of drivers reported consuming alcohol prior to the collision. The crude odds ratios (ORs) for having a crash for opium, cannabis, and metamphetamine were 1.94 (95% interval confidence [CI], 1.11-3.38), 2.37 (95% CI, 1.03-5.42), 5.5 (95% CI, 1.21-24.81), respectively, and for all drugs was 3.83 (95% CI, 2.28-6.43). The OR for alcohol was 3.5 (95% CI, 1.73-7.06) based on self-report. CONCLUSION: Drug and alcohol use are increasing the risk of traffic crashes in Iran. Risk-reducing programs must be designed and implemented.
BACKGROUND: Traffic accidents and traffic-related injuries and mortality have become a major public health concern in Iran. This study aimed to examine the role of drug and alcohol use in motor vehicle accidents in Iran. METHODS: This case-crossover study was conducted on 441 drivers who survived a road traffic crash and were taken to the emergency department of Shahid Rajaee trauma hospital in Shiraz, southern Iran. Data were collected using checklists that included demographic characteristics and drug and alcohol use prior to driving. Alcohol and drug use was identified through self-report, and cannabis, morphine, and methamphetamine urine tests were used to confirm drug abuse among drivers. RESULTS: In total 17.9% of drivers reported using drugs (cannabis, opium, or metamphetamine) and 8.84% of drivers reported consuming alcohol prior to the collision. The crude odds ratios (ORs) for having a crash for opium, cannabis, and metamphetamine were 1.94 (95% interval confidence [CI], 1.11-3.38), 2.37 (95% CI, 1.03-5.42), 5.5 (95% CI, 1.21-24.81), respectively, and for all drugs was 3.83 (95% CI, 2.28-6.43). The OR for alcohol was 3.5 (95% CI, 1.73-7.06) based on self-report. CONCLUSION: Drug and alcohol use are increasing the risk of traffic crashes in Iran. Risk-reducing programs must be designed and implemented.
Entities:
Keywords:
Alcohol use; case–crossover; collisions; drug use