Drinking and Recreational Boating Fatalities: A Population-Based Case-Control Study
2001
ContextAlcohol is increasingly recognized as a factor in many boating fatalities,
but the association between alcohol consumption and mortality among boaters
has not been well quantified.ObjectivesTo determine the association of alcohol use with passengers' and operators'
estimated relative risk (RR) of dying while boating.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsCase-control study of recreational boating deaths among persons aged
18 years or older from 1990-1998 in Maryland and North Carolina (n = 221),
compared with control interviews obtained from a multistage probability sample
of boaters in each state from 1997-1999 (n = 3943).Main Outcome MeasureEstimated RR of fatality associated with different levels of blood alcohol
concentration (BAC) among boaters.ResultsCompared with the referent of a BAC of 0, the estimated RR of death
increased even with a BAC of 10 mg/dL (odds ratio [OR], 1.3; 95% confidence
interval [CI], 1.2-1.4). The OR was 52.4 (95% CI, 25.9-106.1) at a BAC of
250 mg/dL. The estimated RR associated with alcohol use was similar for passengers
and operators and did not vary by boat type or whether the boat was moving
or stationary.ConclusionsDrinking increases the RR of dying while boating, which becomes apparent
at low levels of BAC and increases as BAC increases. Prevention efforts targeted
only at those operating a boat are ignoring many boaters at high risk. Countermeasures
that reduce drinking by all boat occupants are therefore more likely to effectively
reduce boating fatalities.
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