TY  - JOUR
PY  - 1999//
TI  - Balancing on the edge of death: suicide attempts and life-threatening overdoses among drug addicts
JO  - Addiction
A1  - Rossow, Ingeborg
A1  - Lauritzen, Grethe
SP  - 209
EP  - 219
VL  - 94
IS  - 2
N2  - AIMS: Assessment of prevalence of non-fatal overdoses and suicide attempts and predictors of and co-variation between such behaviours among drug addicts. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Inpatient and outpatient treatment units in Norway. PARTICIPANTS: National sample of 2051 drug addicts admitted to treatment in Norway in 1992-93. MEASUREMENTS: Self-reports of suicide attempts and of life-threatening overdoses from structured interviews with therapists. FINDINGS: Almost half (45.5%) the clients reported having experienced one or more life-threatening overdoses. A third (32.7%) reported one or more suicide attempts. Suicide attempts were more often reported among those who had overdosed (odds ratio (OR) = 6.3), and the number of life-threatening overdoses and number of suicide attempts were positively and moderately associated (Pearson's r = 0.39). Drug addicts who had exhibited both life-threatening behaviours were characterized by polydrug use, poor social functioning and HIV risk-taking behaviour. Suicide attempters were also characterized by psychiatric problems. CONCLUSIONS: The substantial co-variation between suicide attempts and drug overdose suggests some common underlying causal factors. These seem to be related to heavy drug use and poor social integration.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0965-2140
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -