Citation

Beynon CM, McVeigh J. J. Subst. Use 2007; 12(1): 39-47.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Informa Healthcare)

DOI

10.1080/14659890600824329

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Aims: (1) To identify all causes of death in a cohort of known problematic drug users; (2) to quantify the number considered drug-related in accordance with the UK Drug Strategy definition; (3) to identify the possible role of substance use in the residual causes of mortality.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional. Setting: North West of England, UK. Participants: All problematic drug users in contact with structured treatment services in 2003-2004. Measurements: All causes of mortality were identified from death certificates. Mann-Whitney U and chi-squared tests were used to explore differences in subgroups (alive, drug related deaths (DRD), non-DRD) by age and sex, respectively.

FINDINGS: Of 27,810 individuals, 103 (0.4%) were confirmed dead. Of the 102 for whom cause of death was available, 72 (70.6%) deaths were classified as non-drug related. In addition to individual causes such as cellulitis, these non-drug related deaths included 16 from infection (seven from pneumonia), seven from alcohol related liver disorders and seven suicides. Those dying from non-DRDs were significantly older than those dying of DRD (p=0.004).

CONCLUSIONS: A considerable proportion of deaths classified as non-drug related are the likely result of substance use, particularly through infection.

Language: en

Keywords

adolescent; adult; human; age; gender; suicide; female; male; aged; United Kingdom; caffeine; cause of death; mortality; substance abuse; article; major clinical study; controlled study; anticonvulsive agent; health program; school child; priority journal; health service; opiate; psychotropic agent; cohort analysis; infection; hypnotic sedative agent; death certificate; chi square test; cellulitis; pneumonia; central stimulant agent; alcohol liver disease; rank sum test