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Citation
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Freni F, Moretti M, Scardo S, Carelli C, Vignali C, Monti MC, Morini L. Drug Test. Anal. 2022; ePub(ePub): ePub. |
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Abstract
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BACKGROUND: The evaluation of drinking behaviours can help in limiting high-risk situation, such as driving under the influence (DUI). We investigate ethyl glucuronide in hair (hEtG) levels to evaluate alcohol consumption behaviour in subjects followed up after having been charged for DUI of psychoactive substances and/or alcohol.
METHODS: We performed a retrospective observational cohort study on 4328 subjects over 18 years old who underwent hEtG analysis in the period 2015-2019 in the Italian Province of Pavia. hEtG level was used as a proxy for the alcohol consumption behaviour. Effects of age, sex and district on alcohol drinking behaviour were investigated with an ordinal logit model. A state sequence analysis was used to study people's alcohol consumption behaviour over time.
RESULTS: hEtG was found ≥7.0 pg/mg in 22.2% of the drivers (of which 7% has an hEtG ≥30.0 pg/mg). Among positive cases, a prevalence of males (96.3%) aged 35-44 (32.6%), coming from main city and hinterland (38.2%) was observed. The propensity to drink was higher for males (OR≈2.28, p<0.001) and for subject coming from the district devoted to the cultivation of vineyards. Young age classes have a reduced drinking risk if compared to the drivers over 55 years old (p<0.001). A general decreasing trend over time in hEtG values was observed.
CONCLUSION: Being male, age ≥ 55 years, and coming from rural areas are potential risk factors related to alcohol drinking habits among drivers. Ethyl glucuronide in hair test in the driving license reissuing protocol contributed to decrease alcohol misuse behaviours.
Keywords: Ethanol impaired driving; Drug impaired driving
Language: en |