Testing Alcohol Only Samples for Drugs and Drugs Only Samples for Alcohol

Retrospective Study of Unrequested Analytical Data in DUID-cases From a 2 Week Period

This study intends to supply information about the prevalence of psychoactive drugs and alcohol in suspected DUI samples which are suspected of only one of these rather than both drugs and alcohol.

Police samples for suspected DUI samples that have been sent for alcohol analysis or drug analysis only will be screened for drugs and alcohol respectively.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Driving Under the Influence

Detailed Description

There are 3 different possibilities for forensic analysis of suspected driving under the influence samples. Testing for alcohol or drugs only or testing for both alcohol and drugs.

Often if the primary suspicion of the apprehending police officer is of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol then only laboratory analysis concerning that primary suspicion is requested.

The study aims to provide information about those 'missed cases' where only analysis for drugs or alcohol is carried out. Traffic police samples from a 2 week period are to be screened for both drugs and alcohol, even if the primary suspicion is only one of these.

The study is part of the EU-project DRUID. Altogether 13 European countries are participating in DRUID.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 250

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Finland
  • Helsinki, Finland
    • National Public Health Institute

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

drivers of motorised vehicles in general road traffic

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18 years or older
• driver of a motorised vehicle

Exclusion Criteria:

• 17 years or younger
• not the driver of a motorised vehicle

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Case-Crossover

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
1; drivers of motorised vehicles suspected of driving under the influence of psychoactive drugs or alcohol
2; drivers stopped in police traffic controls and breathalysed positive for alcohol

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
assessment of both alcohol and drugs in suspected DUI cases	2 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
prevalence of psychoactive substances in the general driving population	three years

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare
• Collaborators: European Commission; Ministry of Internal Affairs, Finland
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Pirjo Lillsunde, Dr, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• Official home page of the EU-project

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: September 1, 2008
• Primary Completion (Actual): September 1, 2008
• Study Completion (Actual): October 1, 2011

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 27, 2008
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 31, 2008
• First Posted (Estimate): April 1, 2008

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): November 3, 2013
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 1, 2013
• Last Verified: November 1, 2013

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: driving under the influence; psychoactive substances; blood samples; Prevalence of psychoactive substances in road traffic
• Other Study ID Numbers: KTL 419-9