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Mortality among individuals with substance use disorder—does violent criminal behavior have an impact?

Jakobsson, Joakim LU orcid ; Karlsson, Anna LU orcid ; Håkansson, Anders LU orcid and Hofvander, Björn LU (2024) In Frontiers in Psychiatry 15.
Abstract

Introduction: Understanding violent criminality and its impact on health and eventually the risk of premature mortality is important for efficient future interventions. This study aimed to explore the effect violent criminality had on premature mortality (i.e., death before the age of 65) among individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs). Methods: The cohort was created by identifying all Swedish patients diagnosed with SUD between the first of January 2013 and 31st of December 2014. The individuals were split into three age categories. Results: There were significant differences in standard mortality rates (SMR) in the cohort compared to the general Swedish population across the three age categories. We found differences between... (More)

Introduction: Understanding violent criminality and its impact on health and eventually the risk of premature mortality is important for efficient future interventions. This study aimed to explore the effect violent criminality had on premature mortality (i.e., death before the age of 65) among individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs). Methods: The cohort was created by identifying all Swedish patients diagnosed with SUD between the first of January 2013 and 31st of December 2014. The individuals were split into three age categories. Results: There were significant differences in standard mortality rates (SMR) in the cohort compared to the general Swedish population across the three age categories. We found differences between the SMRs for individuals convicted of violent and nonviolent crimes in the two younger age categories [age 15–29: violent crime (42.4) vs. non-violent crime (36.6), age 30–44: violent crime (28.0) vs. non-violent crime (23.0)]. A Cox regression analysis showed that each conviction of a violent crime increased the hazard ratio (HR) of premature mortality significantly [age 15–29; HR = 1.10 (95% CI: 1.04–1.17), age 30–44; HR =1.06 (95% CI: 1.03–1.09)]. After correcting for non-violent crimes, the increased risk only remained for the youngest group [HR = 1.06 (95% CI: 1.00–1.13)]. Discussion: This study suggests that criminal behavior constitutes a proxy for the risk behaviors that increase the risk of premature mortality among young individuals with SUD even after controlling for confounders. Longitudinal studies, examining time-dependent risks and protective influences, are needed to explain the different pathways and processes leading to the amplified premature mortality in the groups.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
mortality, preterm mortality, psychiatry, somatic disease, substance use disorder, violent offending
in
Frontiers in Psychiatry
volume
15
article number
1455343
publisher
Frontiers Media S. A.
external identifiers
  • scopus:85212669461
  • pmid:39713773
ISSN
1664-0640
DOI
10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1455343
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
839013e6-d546-4920-ba88-be23c2827b6d
date added to LUP
2025-01-24 14:34:54
date last changed
2025-07-12 04:20:44
@article{839013e6-d546-4920-ba88-be23c2827b6d,
  abstract     = {{<p>Introduction: Understanding violent criminality and its impact on health and eventually the risk of premature mortality is important for efficient future interventions. This study aimed to explore the effect violent criminality had on premature mortality (i.e., death before the age of 65) among individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs). Methods: The cohort was created by identifying all Swedish patients diagnosed with SUD between the first of January 2013 and 31st of December 2014. The individuals were split into three age categories. Results: There were significant differences in standard mortality rates (SMR) in the cohort compared to the general Swedish population across the three age categories. We found differences between the SMRs for individuals convicted of violent and nonviolent crimes in the two younger age categories [age 15–29: violent crime (42.4) vs. non-violent crime (36.6), age 30–44: violent crime (28.0) vs. non-violent crime (23.0)]. A Cox regression analysis showed that each conviction of a violent crime increased the hazard ratio (HR) of premature mortality significantly [age 15–29; HR = 1.10 (95% CI: 1.04–1.17), age 30–44; HR =1.06 (95% CI: 1.03–1.09)]. After correcting for non-violent crimes, the increased risk only remained for the youngest group [HR = 1.06 (95% CI: 1.00–1.13)]. Discussion: This study suggests that criminal behavior constitutes a proxy for the risk behaviors that increase the risk of premature mortality among young individuals with SUD even after controlling for confounders. Longitudinal studies, examining time-dependent risks and protective influences, are needed to explain the different pathways and processes leading to the amplified premature mortality in the groups.</p>}},
  author       = {{Jakobsson, Joakim and Karlsson, Anna and Håkansson, Anders and Hofvander, Björn}},
  issn         = {{1664-0640}},
  keywords     = {{mortality; preterm mortality; psychiatry; somatic disease; substance use disorder; violent offending}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Frontiers Media S. A.}},
  series       = {{Frontiers in Psychiatry}},
  title        = {{Mortality among individuals with substance use disorder—does violent criminal behavior have an impact?}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1455343}},
  doi          = {{10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1455343}},
  volume       = {{15}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}