title: Mortality of intravenous drug users in Rome: a cohort study.
abstract: A historical cohort study was carried out in Rome to examine overall and cause-specific mortality among intravenous drug users (IVDUs). A total of 4200 IVDUs (3411 men and 789 women) enrolled in methadone treatment centers between 1980 and 1988 were studied. There were 239 deaths during the follow-up period. The overall SMR was 10.10 in the entire cohort (95% confidence interval, 8.86-11.47), 9.30 in males and 18.07 in females. A large excess of mortality in both sexes was found for infectious, circulatory, respiratory, and digestive diseases as well as for violence, overdose, AIDS, and unknown or ill-defined causes. Tumors and suicide were excessive only in males. Deaths due to drug overdose, violence or trauma, and cirrhosis accounted for 63.6%, AIDS for 7.1%, endocarditis and other bacterial infections for 7.1%, and neoplasms for 3.8% of total mortality. These findings document serious health consequences of drug abuse in Italy.
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Unit, Regional Health Authority, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Perucci
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Davoli
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rapiti
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Abeni
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Forastiere
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002423:Cause of Death; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*