Risk of Injury: The Implications of Mental Health, Alcohol and Gender

Date

2014-07-31

Authors

Roemer, Audra

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Abstract

Injuries are a serious public health concern and identifying risk factors for injury is a research priority. Previous research consistently supports the link between alcohol and risk of injury and between mental health and alcohol use. There is also some research to indicate an association between mental health and risk of injury. Given the nature of these independent relationships, examining how these variables are inter-related could have significant implications for injury prevention and informing public health policies. There is however, a dearth of research examining how mental health and alcohol interact and contribute to injury risk. The present study examines the independent and shared contributions of mental health and alcohol to injury. Furthermore, gender differences in these relationships are examined. The results indicate both alcohol use and mental health are significantly associated with increased risk of injury. Moreover, a synergistic effect between alcohol and mental health on injury is found among women. The implications for these results in practice and policy are discussed.

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Keywords

injury, alcohol, gender

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