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All-cause mortality in criminal justice clients with substance use problems-A prospective follow-up study.

Håkansson, Anders C LU and Berglund, Mats LU (2013) In Drug and Alcohol Dependence 132(3). p.499-504
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Mortality in previously incarcerated individuals is known to be elevated, with high proportions of drug-related deaths. However, there is less documentation of whether specific substance use patterns and other clinical characteristics predict increased mortality in the group. METHODS: This is a follow-up study of mortality and causes of death in ex-prisoners with substance use problems prior to incarceration (N=4081), who were followed during an average of 3.6 years from release from prison until death or until data were censored. Baseline predictors of mortality, derived from interviews with Addiction Severity Index (ASI) in prison, were studied in a Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: During follow-up, 166 subjects (4.1%) died.... (More)
BACKGROUND: Mortality in previously incarcerated individuals is known to be elevated, with high proportions of drug-related deaths. However, there is less documentation of whether specific substance use patterns and other clinical characteristics predict increased mortality in the group. METHODS: This is a follow-up study of mortality and causes of death in ex-prisoners with substance use problems prior to incarceration (N=4081), who were followed during an average of 3.6 years from release from prison until death or until data were censored. Baseline predictors of mortality, derived from interviews with Addiction Severity Index (ASI) in prison, were studied in a Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: During follow-up, 166 subjects (4.1%) died. Standardized mortality ratios were 7.0 (3.6-12.2) for females and 7.7 (5.6-9.0) for males. In 84% of cases, deaths were unnatural or due to substance-related disease. Most common causes of death were accidental poisoning (27%), transport accidents (13%), poisoning/injury with undetermined intent (12%), and suicide (10%). Death was positively predicted by heroin use, overdose, and age, and negatively predicted by a history of depression. CONCLUSIONS: A vast majority of deaths after release from prison in individuals with substance use are due to violent or substance-related causes. Significant predictors identified were mainly related to patterns of drug use, and need to be addressed upon incarceration as risk factors of death. The findings have implications for referral and treatment upon release from prison. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
volume
132
issue
3
pages
499 - 504
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000325510700015
  • pmid:23623042
  • scopus:84883557687
ISSN
1879-0046
DOI
10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2013.03.014
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
5c5966f0-9d03-4ca7-baba-231cf5e35667 (old id 3733293)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23623042?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:41:57
date last changed
2022-03-12 08:10:58
@article{5c5966f0-9d03-4ca7-baba-231cf5e35667,
  abstract     = {{BACKGROUND: Mortality in previously incarcerated individuals is known to be elevated, with high proportions of drug-related deaths. However, there is less documentation of whether specific substance use patterns and other clinical characteristics predict increased mortality in the group. METHODS: This is a follow-up study of mortality and causes of death in ex-prisoners with substance use problems prior to incarceration (N=4081), who were followed during an average of 3.6 years from release from prison until death or until data were censored. Baseline predictors of mortality, derived from interviews with Addiction Severity Index (ASI) in prison, were studied in a Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: During follow-up, 166 subjects (4.1%) died. Standardized mortality ratios were 7.0 (3.6-12.2) for females and 7.7 (5.6-9.0) for males. In 84% of cases, deaths were unnatural or due to substance-related disease. Most common causes of death were accidental poisoning (27%), transport accidents (13%), poisoning/injury with undetermined intent (12%), and suicide (10%). Death was positively predicted by heroin use, overdose, and age, and negatively predicted by a history of depression. CONCLUSIONS: A vast majority of deaths after release from prison in individuals with substance use are due to violent or substance-related causes. Significant predictors identified were mainly related to patterns of drug use, and need to be addressed upon incarceration as risk factors of death. The findings have implications for referral and treatment upon release from prison.}},
  author       = {{Håkansson, Anders C and Berglund, Mats}},
  issn         = {{1879-0046}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{499--504}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Drug and Alcohol Dependence}},
  title        = {{All-cause mortality in criminal justice clients with substance use problems-A prospective follow-up study.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2013.03.014}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2013.03.014}},
  volume       = {{132}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}