Alcohol and Trauma Trauma is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in the United States.
Alcohol plays a significant role in trauma.
Because of definitional and methodological differences across alcohol and trauma studies, it is difficult to obtain precise estimates of alcohol's role in trauma events. Second, given similar traumatic circumstances, a drinker is likely to be hurt more seriously than a nondrinker. The preponderance of data linking alcohol and trauma deserves close scrutiny. Conversely, physicians can underdiagnose by attributing most or all injury symptoms to intoxication, thereby missing possible coexisting and life-threatening conditions. Signs of intoxication can mimic other conditions.