Blood alcohol levels in injury victims at the emergency station of a rural central hospital.

Blood alcohol was determined in 182 consecutive adult injury victims at the emergency station of a rural central hospital during a fortnight in March 1974. In 30% of them alcohol was found in the blood. The percentage was 38 in males and 15 in females. No significant differences in alcohol involvement (AI) between social classes were noted. During the night 62% of the patients had ingested alcohol. The injuries on Saturdays were more often alcohol-involved (54%) than on other days of the week (26%). AI was very frequent (86%) in the victims of fights, assaults, and suicide attempts, while it was only rarely (9%) seen in industrial accidents. AI was clinically detected in 72% of the cases with positive blood alcohol concentrations. It can be concluded from the results of this and other studies referred to, that the AI rate for fresh injuries of adults at the Pinnish emergency stations was about 30-35%.