Boozing and bruising seem to go hand in hand…
Alcohol consumption greatly increases the chance of doing injury to oneself, according to a new study.
That’s admittedly the kind of information that doesn’t quite require comprehensive analysis, but a survey of just over 1,000 Americans by Injury Claim Coach reveals some fascinating insights.
For context, the average American reportedly consumes 1.4 alcoholic drinks per day, 9.5 drinks per week, and 494 drinks per year.
Those surveyed were asked if they sustained injuries whilst drinking alcohol.
55% of participants identified as male, while 45% identified as female, with an age range of 18 to 75 and an average overall age of 43.5.
The study found that the average injury occurred after consuming 8.5 drinks for men, contrasting with 6.5 drinks for women.
Beer tops the table for the alcoholic beverage most linked to resulting injury (70% male to 43% female), closely followed by vodka (44% male, 51% female), and whiskey (31% male, 23% female).
Liqueur is the least cited drink under the study parameters, with just 4-5% of participants noting that it had any detrimental physical effect on them
Binge-drinking appears to lie at the heart of most intoxicated injuries, with the most common reported scrapes registering as relatively minor in the form of various bruises, cuts and scratches.
Compare that to something as severe as a broken bone and the results are only 19% for men and 15% for women.
20% of those who have needed a trip to A&E sustained their breaks while celebrating at a birthday party.
Location-wise, the most common injuries for both genders occur at home, whether at a house party or during a quiet night in. Bars and restaurants only account for 10% of recorded and reported issues.
As for body parts, the arm is most commonly affected area for both males and females, while eyes and toes generally escape trauma across the board.
Meanwhile, the number of injuries incurred between men and women was on an especially even keel at 2.21 and 2.17, respectively.
You can read the full study here.
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