Concussion History, Hazardous Drinking, and BrAC Levels Among a Sample of Bar Patrons, 2015. (23rd February 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Martin, Ryan J.; Chaney, Beth H.; Lee, Joseph G. L.
• Is Part Of: Substance use & misuse. Volume 53:Number 3(2018)
• Page Start: 446
• Page End: 450
• Publication Date: 2018-02-23
• Subjects: Concussions -- breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) -- hazardous drinking -- alcohol field study -- bar patrons; Narcotic habit -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Substance abuse -- Periodicals; Behavior, Addictive -- Periodicals; Sustance-Related Disorders -- Periodicals; 362.2905
• DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2017.1334068
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1082-6084

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Background: Alcohol consumption and experiencing a concussion are positively correlated. Concussion history has not been examined previously in any alcohol field study (i.e., conducted in a natural setting). Objective: To better understand the relationship between concussion history and alcohol consumption. Methods: We conducted two anonymous field studies among a 2015 sample of bar patrons (N = 544; 62.5% males) in a college town to assess concussion history and two alcohol consumption measures: (1) breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) levels and (2) hazardous drinking scores (based on the AUDIT-C). Next, we conducted a logistic regression analysis to predict concussion history using the two alcohol consumption measures and other potential covariates (i.e., age, gender, race, college student status). Results: Among participants in our sample, the average BrAC level was.070 (SD =.053) and the average hazardous drinking score was 4.7 (SD = 2.5). Less than half of participants indicated that they had experienced a concussion in their lifetime (235; 43.2%). The logistic regression model indicated that hazardous drinking scores were significantly, positively associated with having experienced a concussion, whereas other covariates (i.e., BrAC, age, gender, race, college student status) did not significantly predict concussion history. Conclusions/Importance: Hazardous drinkers were more likely to have experienced a concussion. Therefore, the relationship found in this sample, between hazardous drinking behavior and concussion history, points to hazardous drinking as a possible risk factor for having had a concussion in the past.