Women who abuse drugs are at high risk for serious injury or trauma

Women who are chronic drug users are almost 70 percent more likely to have experienced serious injury or trauma during the past year and almost 20 percent more likely to have experienced injury or trauma during their lifetime than women who do not use drugs. Injuries incurred and related trauma include broken bones, concussion, gunshot or knife wounds, or sexual assault.

These findings are based on data collected in 1996 and 1997 in Miami-Dade County, Florida, from 926 chronic drug users and from 553 people who did not use drugs. The sample included both men and women. Investigators analyzed the data to ascertain the effects of drug use on serious injury or trauma experienced any time in the past, within the past 12 months, and when individuals utilized health care services for serious injury or trauma.

Among women, 67 percent of the chronic drug users reported having a serious injury or traumatic event sometime in their life, compared with 55 percent of the women who did not use drugs. Twenty-nine percent of the women who abused drugs reported having experienced serious injury or a traumatic event within the past 12 months, compared with 16 percent of the women not using drugs.

Women in both groups, however, were very similar in their propensity to see a doctor or other health care provider for treatment of injury or trauma. Fifty percent of the women using drugs received treatment, compared with 57 percent among those who did not use drugs.

No statistically significant differences were found between the past year and lifetime prevalence of serious injury or trauma between male chronic drug users and non-users.

WHAT IT MEANS: Because both female and male drug users reported high use of health care services for serious injuries or trauma, health care providers who work in community-based settings and acute care clinics should be aware that individuals seeking treatment for such injuries could be abusing drugs. Training in substance abuse issues would enable health care providers to better identify and treat drug abusers or refer them to appropriate treatment.

Silvana K. Zavala, M.P.H., University of Miami, and Michael T. French, Ph.D., Medical University of South Carolina, published the study in the February 2003 issue of Medical Care.

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