Trauma patients who tested positive for any substance, including cannabis, had significantly higher rates of previous trauma

Cross-sectional analysis of 1,156 trauma patients admitted to a Spanish trauma hospital from November 2011 to March 2015. Substance presence was determined by laboratory testing (immunoassay for alcohol and 10 drug classes). Past trauma history was retrieved from the health information system covering records since 1999. Multinomial logistic regression estimated associations.

The finding that substance-positive trauma patients are significantly more likely to have prior traumas suggests a recurring cycle of substance use and injury. Screening for substance use in trauma settings could identify patients at high risk for future injuries and target them for intervention.

Trauma recidivism is a major healthcare burden. If substance use is both a cause of individual trauma events and a marker for repeated trauma, then trauma admissions represent a "teachable moment" for substance use intervention. Brief interventions in trauma centers could potentially break the cycle.

Cross-sectional design cannot determine whether substance use causes trauma or whether trauma-prone individuals use more substances. Cannabis detection can reflect use days before the trauma event. Substance testing captures current intoxication, not chronic use patterns. Single-center study in Spain.