[Blood alcohol content prevalence among trauma patients seen at a level 1 trauma center].

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of blood alcohol content (BAC) among patients seen at a level 1 trauma center.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out and patients were randomly selected at the emergency room of a level I trauma center in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, throughout a year (August 1998 to August 1999). Blood samples were drawn and data was collected using an adapted version of a questionnaire developed by the Medical Research Institute of San Francisco - Alcohol Research Group.