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Mortality Related to Psychotropic Substances: Current Knowledge and Research Problems
Author(s) -
Poikolainen Kari
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
british journal of addiction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0952-0481
DOI - 10.1111/j.1360-0443.1981.tb03233.x
Subject(s) - medicine , injury prevention , psychiatry , public health , suicide prevention , poison control , environmental health , human factors and ergonomics , occupational safety and health , cause of death , medical emergency , psychology , disease , pathology
Summary Mortality data may be used to indicate the magnitude of public health problems related to psychotropic substances. The scanty data available shows that fatal poisonings from psychotropic substances have increased in several, but not in all the countries studied. In addition to poisonings, deaths from infectious complications and violent causes are prevalent among substance abusers and the risk of premature death is considerably increased. Research methods, reliability of statistics, thoroughness of cause‐of‐death inquiries, and problems of diagnosis are discussed.