NCJ Number
191830
Journal
Drug and Alcohol Review Volume: 20 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2001 Pages: 299-307
Date Published
September 2001
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This article presents a study aimed at gaining a better understanding of factors that distinguish violent and accidental injuries.
Abstract
The purpose of the study is to compare demographic and substance use factors among three groups defined by their self-reported injuries in the prior year. These groups are those with no injuries, those with accidental injuries, and those with criminal victimization injuries. An objective is to directly assess whether factors related to accidental injuries are significantly different from criminal victimization injuries. A cross-sectional survey of the Canadian population was conducted which covered topics such as injuries, crime incidents, and attitudes towards the criminal justice system. Residents were asked: whether they had accidents or injuries in the previous 12 months; about types of criminal acts done to them; and standard questions regarding age, marital status, education, household income, and employment status. Results show that young people and those who were single, widowed, divorced, or separated were more likely to report both accidental and violent injuries than those with no injuries. These findings are consistent with general patterns in the literature, suggesting that young people are at high risk for both accidental and violent injuries. Harmful effects from drinking were significantly more likely to be reported for those who had an accidental injury compared with those with no injury. Harm due to drinking was not significant for violent injuries compared with no injuries or accidental injuries. The accidental injury group was significantly more likely to have used medications of aspirin, diet pills, and codeine. The accidental group was more likely than the no injury group to have used marijuana and LSD/speed/heroin. The violent-injury group was significantly more likely to have used antidepressants, sleeping pills, marijuana, and cocaine. An overall observation was that the group with violent injuries had the highest use of medications and illicit drugs, while the group with no injuries had the lowest use. Cocaine use was associated with violent injuries. The results suggest that factors associated with accidental injuries may be quite different from factors associated with violent injuries. 3 tables, 28 references