The prevalence of substance use among drivers with traffic injuries in Mazandaran Province, Northern Iran

BACKGROUND: Motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) are one of the main causes of mortality in developing countries. Although the association between alcohol and the risk of MVA has been known for a long time, only a few studies have been conducted on driving following substance consumption in a short period of time. This is while narcotic and stimulant use seems to be a threat to traffic safety and a serious health concern for substance users. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of substance use (narcotics and stimulants) in drivers with traffic injuries admitted to the orthopedic ward of Imam Khomeini Hospital between October 2020 and June 2021. METHODS: The current research is a cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study. The statistical population consisted of 77 patients admitted to the orthopedic ward of a training hospital (Imam Khomeini) in Mazandaran Province, northern Iran. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to determine the quantitative variables. The sampling method is random and consecutive. The method of data collection was through questionnaire tools. The software used was SPSS 26 with an independent t-test, Mann–Whitney U test, Chi-square or Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: In this study, the frequency of substance use was 18.18%. The prevalence of opioid usage was 35.7% and for stimulants it was 64.28%. There was no case of concomitant use of opioids and stimulants. In the opioid group, 60% of patients used opium, 20% methadone, and 20% tramadol. In the stimulant and alcohol groups, 12.12% utilized methamphetamine and 88.88% drank alcohol. The average age of consumers was 39 years, which was significantly higher in the opioid group (P = 0.040). The education level of substance users was remarkably lower (P < 0.05) and, occupationally, there was no statistically significant difference between groups of substance users (P = 0.290). Considerably, the unemployed population consumed more substances (P = 0.001). Multiple fractures (P < 0.05) and surgical treatment (P = 0.012) were more common in the user group. CONCLUSION: Users of stimulants and alcohol were younger than opioid users, according to our results. There is an association between drug use and the incidence of traffic accidents, as well as lower educational levels, masculinity, fracture type, and patient complication type.