Estimating the drink driving attributable fraction of road traffic deaths in Mexico. (1st February 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Santoyo‐Castillo, Dzoara; Pérez‐Núñez, Ricardo; Borges, Guilherme; Híjar, Martha
• Is Part Of: Addiction. Volume 113:Number 5(2018)
• Page Start: 828
• Page End: 835
• Publication Date: 2018-02-01
• Subjects: Alcohol drinking -- attributable risk -- developing countries -- driving under the influence -- Mexico -- road traffic injuries -- traffic accidents; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Drug addiction -- Periodicals; 616.86
• DOI: 10.1111/add.14153
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0965-2140

Abstract

Abstract: Aim: To estimate the Drink Driving Attributable Fraction (DDAF) of road traffic injury mortality in car occupants in Mexico during 2010–13. Design: A case–control study was conducted to examine the presence of alcohol in analysed body fluids of car occupants killed in fatal crashes (cases) compared with car drivers tested in alcohol‐testing checkpoints who were not involved in a fatal collision (controls). Two data sets were used for the period 2010–13: the forensic module of the Epidemiological Surveillance System on Addictions that included car occupants killed in a collision (cases) and a data set from alcohol‐testing at police checkpoints available for matching municipalities (controls). Setting: Mexico. Participants: The analysed study sample included 1718 car occupants killed in a traffic collision and 80 656 drivers tested at alcohol police checkpoints, all from 10 municipalities. Measurements: Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (OR) of presence of alcohol in body fluids were obtained stratified by sex and age groups and the interaction with these two variables were assessed. The ORs were used to calculate the DDAF. Findings: It was estimated that 19.5% of car occupants' deaths due to road traffic injuries were attributable to alcohol consumption [95% confidence interval (CI) = 19.1–19.9]. The adjusted OR of presence of alcohol was 6.84 (95% CI = 6.06–7.71) overall. For males it was 7.21 (95% CI = 6.35–8.18) and for females it was 4.45 (95% CI = 3.01–6.60). The ORs were similar across younger age bands (10–19 years: 9.61, 95% CI = 6.72–13.73; 20–29 years: 7.70, 95% CI = 6.28–9.4; and 30–49 years: 7.21, 95% CI = 5.98–8.70); and lower but still elevated among older people (50+ years: 3.19, 95% CI = 2.19–4.65). Conclusions: An estimated 19.5% of car occupant deaths in Mexico may have been caused by alcohol in 2010–13.