Profiling of Cases Brought to Causality for Alcohol Examination: A Two Year Study

The hazardous and harmful use of alcohol is a major global contributing factor to death, disease and injury: to the drinker through health impacts, such as alcohol dependence, liver cirrhosis, cancers and injuries; and to others through the dangerous actions of intoxicated people, such as ‘drunk driving ’and violence or through the impact of drinking on fetus and child development.

A two year retrospective study was conducted of the cases brought for alcohol examination to emergency of GMCH Chandigarh from 15^th June 2015 to 14^th June 2017, after obtaining clearance from the Institutional Ethics Committee. Details regarding demographic profiling, reason for examination, delay in examination and outcome of their examination, etc. was studied.

Of the 12984 total medico-legal cases registered in GMCH during these two years, 676 (2.3%) cases were cases brought for alcohol examination. All these cases were brought by police and were examined after receiving request from the police official. Of the 676 cases, only 2 were females. Majority of the cases belonged to the 21 to 40 years age group with 41.6% belonging to 21 to 30 years and 33.8% cases to 31 to 40 years group. 477 (70.6%) of the cases were from urban area. As per their occupation; 580 were doing private jobs/labourer, 24 cases were government servants, while 72 were unemployed. Smell of alcohol was present in 619 (91.5%) of cases. Abnormality of behavior was found in 8.4% cases and muscle in-coordination was reported in only 6.9% cases. Injuries were also present in 35 (5.2%) cases, which were in the form of simple abrasions, swelling, contusion and lacerated wounds. Commonest reason for arrest of the person and bringing for alcohol examination was found to be drinking at public places, (63.1%) followed by quarrel (26.6%), involved in road side accident (5.7%), causing nuisance after drinking (3.5%) and drinking on duty as well as ‘drink and drive ’cases (0.04%).