oa One year of alcohol-related road traffic Injuries in Qatar: Results from the Hamad Trauma Center Alcohol Screening Program

The contribution of alcohol to the health burden of road traffic injuries [RTI’s] has been well documented in various settings. However, in a recent global report released by the WHO, almost half of all countries lack data on alcohol-related road deaths and injuries. This study will report the results of the Alcohol Screening Brief Intervention and Referral for Treatment [ASBIRT] Program of the Hamad Trauma Center [HTC]. This ASBIRT is a program of the HTC, the only Level I Trauma Center in Qatar. All severely injured patients who are treated at the HTC undergo a blood alcohol concentration [BAC] test. Those that test positive undergo a series of screening interviews to determine the nature of their alcohol use and their need for intervention or treatment. The ASBIRT conducted 578 BAC tests, on adult RTI patients, during the 1-year study period. Most tested were vehicle drivers or passengers [MVC] [58%] followed by pedestrians [27%] and ATV drivers [5%]. Eighty eight percent were males with an average age of 32 years. The over-all BAC (+) rate, for all tested victims, was 9.2%. The highest BAC (+) rates were seen in MVC [10.2%], followed by pedestrians [9.7%] and ATV drivers [9.4%]. Of testing BAC (+), 92%, were males, most were MVC [64%] and pedestrian [28%] victims, more than half [57%] were from South Asia followed by 34% from the Eastern Mediterranean Region and 7.5% needed further treatment for alcohol abuse. Alcohol use has a contributory role in one out of every 11 victims suffering from a severe RTI in Qatar. More stringent and high-visibility enforcement of existing ‘zero tolerance' laws on driving under the influence and public awareness can significantly contribute to reducing the health burden of RTI's in Qatar. Reference: Global status report on road safety 2013: supporting a decade of action. World Health Organization. May 2013. Geneva, Switzerland.