TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2011//
TI  - Distinguishing between suicides and accidental deaths in substance-related deaths (UK, 2001-2007)
JO  - Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology and biological psychiatry
A1  - Vento, Alessandro E.
A1  - Pompili, Maurizio
A1  - Schifano, Fabrizio
A1  - Corkery, John Martin
A1  - Innamorati, Marco
A1  - Girardi, Paolo
A1  - Ghodse, Hamid
SP  - 1279
EP  - 1283
VL  - 35
IS  - 5
N2  - BACKGROUND: Substance-related deaths account for a great number of suicides. Aim To investigate levels and characteristics of suicide verdicts, as opposed to accidental deaths, in substance misusers. METHODS: Psychological autopsy study of cases from the UK National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths (np-SAD) during the period 2001-2007. RESULTS: Between January 2001 and December 2007, 2108 suicides for whom autopsy was carried out were reported to the np-SAD. Typical suicide victims were White and older than 50 (respectively 95% and 41% of cases). Medications, especially antidepressants (44%), were prescribed to 87% of victims. Significantly fewer suicides than controls presented with positive blood toxicological results for illicit drugs (namely: cocaine, heroin, amphetamines, ecstasy-type drugs, cannabis, GHB/GBL, etc.) and alcohol. CONCLUSIONS: Suicide prevention programmes should devote specific attention to deaths among substance-misusers who are at high risk of fatal intentional self-harm. Specific characteristics distinguish those at risk; caregivers should be better educated as to what these factors are.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0278-5846
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pnpbp.2011.02.014
ID  - ref1
ER  -