The effect of blood alcohol level and preinjury chronic alcohol use on outcome from severe traumatic brain injury in Hispanics, anglo-Caucasians, and African-americans.

Objective: To examine (a) ethnic differences in blood alcohol level (BAL) and preinjury chronic alcohol use (PI-ETOH) within a severe closed head injury (CHI) sample and (b) the main and interaction effects of BAL, PI-ETOH, and ethnicity on functional outcome following severe CHI.

Participants: A total of 434 Hispanic, Anglo-Caucasian, and African-American individuals with severe CHI.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.