TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2015//
TI  - Mortality risk among heroin abusers: clients and non-clients of public treatment centers for drug addiction
JO  - Substance use and misuse
A1  - Pavarin, Raimondo Maria
SP  - 1690
EP  - 1696
VL  - 50
IS  - 13
N2  - In Europe, the prevalence of problematic heroin consumption is declining but, in spite of the constant rise in the number of treated patients, many of them do not turn to a public treatment center (PTC) for their drug addiction. The aim of this study is to study the mortality risk separately for heroin abusers PTC clients and non-PTC clients (i.e. those never treated at a PTC). <br><br>METHODS: Cohort study on 959 subjects resident in the metropolitan area of Bologna who went to a health service (i.e. hospital, emergency unit) or to a PTC following problems due to heroin abuse for the first time between 01/01/2004 and 31/12/2009. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated, and regression analysis using the Poisson method was used. <br><br>RESULTS: Elevated and statistically significant SMRs were found in both genders, irrespective of the contact facility, being higher for PTC clients. Among non-PTC clients 28% of deaths overall were from AIDS or infectious diseases (6% PTC clients), 17% from opiate overdose (6% PTC clients) and 14% from violent causes (6% PTC clients). Multivariate analysis showed a higher mortality risk for patients who used both heroin and cocaine and for concomitant abuse of benzodiazepines. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: The characteristics of patients never before treated for addiction prompts a reflection on the presence of a hidden group of patients who are hard to reach, who have a high mortality risk and who turn to health care treatment facilities only in the event of an emergency.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1082-6084
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/10826084.2015.1027932
ID  - ref1
ER  -