Open AccessManagement of monitoring of drug related deaths in Slovakia
Author(s) -
Jozef Šidlo
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
bukovinsʹkij medičnij vìsnik
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2413-0737
pISSN - 1684-7903
DOI - 10.24061/2413-0737.xvii.3.67.2013.169
Subject(s) - seriousness , medicine , drug , environmental health , medical emergency , pharmacology , political science , law
Using illicit drugs as well as other psychoactive substances represents a serious health and social problem. Monitoring of drug-related deaths and mortality rates among drug users is one of the essential indicators of the seriousness of the drug-related problem. The obtained data serve as one of the bases for shaping the anti-drug policy and strategy not only at the national but also international level. The aim of the research is to describe the management of monitoring of drug – related deaths and building up the so-called Special Register of drug related deaths in Slovakia and present the results obtained by performing an analysis of all the cases reported during the period of years from 2004 to 2010. The results of the analysis for further management of the collection of the data have shown the necessity to define a network of laboratories, develop the concept of the Slovak forensic toxicology, and introduce standard guidelines for a proper indication of examinations, interpretation of results, and establishment of the diagnosis of psychoactive substances-related deaths.