Prevalence of any alcohol or other drug use in patients presenting to hospital for injurious falls
| First author (year)ref | Country (study duration) | Sample type | Proportion tested, n/N (%) | Patients with fall-related injuries, n/Total patients in the study, N (%) | Drugs tested for (concentration cut-off, % for alcohol or ng/mL for other drugs)* | Prevalence, n/N (%) |
| Bakke (2016)25 | Norway (1 year) | Blood | 1074/2118 (50.7) | 487/996 (48.9) | Alcohol (0.01), alprazolam (5), amphetamines and/or methamphetamines (4/4,5), tetrahydrocannabinol (0.15), clonazepam (5), cocaine (6), codeine (3), diazepam (29), flunitrazepam (0.8), methadone (30), morphine (3), nitrazepam (7), oxazepam (143), zolpidem (8), zopiclone (10) | 198/487 (40.7) |
| Bogstrand (2011)30 | Norway (December 2007–December 2008) | Blood | 1882/2118 (88.9) | 605/1272 (47.6) | Alcohol (0.01), alprazolam (4.63), amphetamine (4.06), benzoylecgonine (cocaine metabolite, 28.9), buprenorphine (0.58), tetrahydrocannabinol (0.16), carbamazepine (591), carisoprodole (0.58), clonazepam (143), cocaine (6.07), codeine (2.99), dextropropoxyphene (34), diazepam (1.75), ecstasy (5.80), ethylmorphine (6.27), flunitrazepam (0.78), gamma hydroxybutyrate (10,410), heroin (0.98), meprobamate (546), methadone (31), methamphetamine (4.48), morphine (2.85), nitrazepam (7.03), oxazepam (143), oxycodone (7.89), phenazepam (1.75), phenobarbital (2,322), zolpidem (7.68), zopiclone (9.72) | NR/605 (41) |
| Cordovilla-Guardia (2017)33 | Spain (32 non-consecutive months between November 2011 and March 2015) | Blood (alcohol), urine (drugs) | 204/242 (84.3) | 88/242 (36.4) | Alcohol (0.03), amphetamines (NR), barbiturates (NR), benzodiazepines (NR), cannabis (NR), cocaine (NR), methadone (NR), methamphetamines (NR), opiates (NR), tricyclic antidepressants (NR) | 33/71 (46.5)
|
| Cordovilla-Guardia (2018)34 | Spain (31 non-consecutive months between November 2011 and June 2015) | Blood (alcohol), urine (drugs) | 1187/1818 (65.3) | 433/929 (46.6) | Alcohol (0.03), amphetamines (NR), barbiturates (NR), benzodiazepines (NR), cannabis, cocaine (NR), methadone (NR), methamphetamines (NR), opiates (NR), tricyclic antidepressants (NR) | 169/433 (39.0)
|
| Martin (2017)39 | USA (September 2013–March 2015) | Serum (alcohol), Serum/urine (drugs) | NR | 3357/10191 (32.9) | Alcohol (0.08), various other unspecified drugs (NR) | 823/3357 (24.5) |
| McLaughlin (2017)41 | USA (March 2012–May 2014) | Blood (alcohol), urine (drugs) | 174/379 (45.9) | 97/379 (25.6) | Alcohol (0), amphetamines (1000), barbiturates (200), benzodiazepines (200), cannabinoids (50), cocaine (300), opiates (300), phencyclidines (25) | 8/15 (53.3) |
*Note that all studies reported reviewing medical records to identify and account for patients who received prescription medications as part of their treatment prior to testing.
NR, not reported.