Idea Spark-ers

A sample of 524 young drug addicts consecutively treated at a special hospital ward has been followed by registers for an average of 10 years. A total of 62 were found to have died drug-related deaths at an average age of 28 years; 19 of them had committed suicide. Representativeness of the sample is investigated. Sex and choice of drugs were predictive factors behind fatal outcome: male opiate addicts died 5.4 times and male amphetamine abusers 2.5 times as often as expected. The males were exposed to greater risk than the females. Those who committed suicide had an hereditary disposition for mental disturbances, especially affective disorders. Lethal substances proved to be opiates, barbiturates and alcohol and/or other psychotropic preparations. Signs of heart disease were often found in the overdose cases. Most of the addicts who died were in a compulsive stage of the drug career, but some were abstaining or trying to abstain from drugs. A critical period seems to be at 26-28 years of age, a period when the abuse seems to be most intense and compulsive, the suicide risk is high and the efforts to abstain from drugs most serious and hazardous.

“…The opiate addicts then have about the same excess mortality as in other samples (3, 8) and the amphetamine addicts the same as in other Swedish samples (10, 11).…”

Section: Mortalitymentioning

confidence: 54%

Fatal outcome in drug addiction

Tunving

1988

“…Two studies of abusers of primarily central stimulants at Lingbro and UllerHker Hospitals showed that 26 % and 29 %, respectively, had discontinued drug use after a follow-up period of 2-7 and 3 years, respectively (13)(14)(15). A study of opiate abusers from St. Lars Hospital showed that 48 % were drug-free after a 7-year follow-up period (16).…”

Section: Comments On the Resultsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Course and outcome of drug abuse and medical and social conditions in selected young drug abusers

Benson

1985

The course and outcome of drug abuse and medical and social conditions were investigated by following--in some aspects for up to 10 years--selected groups of young drug abusers who had had contact with health care and social welfare authorities in Gothenburg at the end of the 1960's. The follow-up was carried out by studying different registers and through interviews. The abusers were compared with a control group matched in terms of sex, age and daily sickness allowance. Abuse of cannabis predominated (2:1) over heavier drugs (primarily central stimulants i.v.) in the out-patient materials, while the reverse was the case in the in-patient material. About 40% of the drug users were interviewed and judged to be representative of their groups. After 4-6 years, 36-49% of the males and 23-48% of the females in the different materials were found registered as drug abusers; 22-38% of the men and 11-19% of the women were found after 8-10 years. According to the interviews, drug abuse persisted in 56-71% of the men and 26-60% of the women after 4-6 years and in 44-69% of the men and 13-36% of the women after 7-9 years. Abuse of cannabis persisted more often than abuse of heavier drugs, and had a lower mortality. Between 40 and 55% of drug abuse in the out-patient material, as well as among males in the social welfare material, was hidden during the follow-up period. The hidden abuse involved primarily cannabis; abuse of heavier drugs was generally known to the health care or social welfare authorities. Repeated or lengthy sick leave was more common than in the control group. In-patient adult psychiatric treatment was common among those in the health care material, although 40% of those in the social welfare material had also received such treatment. A diagnosis of drug abuse clearly predominated. Treatment of hepatitis was noted for 30-40%. More than 90% of drug abusers were registered with the social welfare authorities compared with less than half of the controls. Possession of driving licence was less common and the males had less often completed basic military training. The majority of those not registered for drug abuse after 4-6 years were employed or studying, and had considerably less need for social welfare and sick leave than those who were registered.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Drug‐related mortality in young people

Benson

Holmberg

1984

Mortality in young drug users in Gothenburg was studied, by following up, for about a decade, two unselected groups (ninth grade pupils and military conscripts), and selected groups of abusers from the files of the health and social welfare authorities. In the unselected groups, cannabis smoking predominated. Solvents, LSD, and central stimulants taken orally or intravenously also occurred, particularly in the selected groups. Polydrug abuse including alcohol was common, opiate abuse was rare. Observed mortality was compared with expected mortality in the same age groups. The mortality rate was significantly increased in several of the selected groups, 2.4-6.9 times in men and 1.3-7.9 times in women. Among pupils with high-frequency drug use it was increased 5.5 times in boys and not significantly increased in girls. Among pupils with low-frequency drug use it was not significantly increased in boys and increased 4.7 times in girls. Among registered pupils the mortality was increased 4.2 and 8.2 times in boys and girls respectively. Military conscripts did not display an increased mortality. The proportion of unnatural deaths was over 90%, which was significantly higher than in the population. About half of the deaths were suicides and undetermined suicides. The proportion of undetermined suicides was high among men. Two of the male deaths were homicides. In about one third of the deaths alcohol was involved. Dextropropoxyphene was present in five of the 14 intoxications among men. Although mortality was increased it is lower than in other Scandinavian studies. This may be explained by the relative youth of the abusers and the rare occurrence of opiate abuse.