title: Changes in mortality, arrests, and hospitalizations in nonvoluntarily treated heroin addicts in relation to methadone treatment.
abstract: This study analyzes the mortality, hospitalizations, and arrests in a cohort of severe intravenous heroin users divided into three groups: those in methadone treatment, those discharged from treatment, and those who never received treatment. The study population consists of 101 heroin users, of whom 56 were HIV-seropositive. Because of intensive drug misuse, they underwent coercive residential treatment in Stockholm during the 3-year period 1986-1988. The mortality was lower in the methadone group, and all seven deaths were related to HIV-infection. Outside the program, 24 of 29 persons died from external violence and poisoning.
authors.affiliation: Center for Dependency Disorders of St. Göran's Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fugelstad
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Agren
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romelsjö
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003415:Crime / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000401:mortality*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence
chemical_list: D009294:Narcotics; D008691:Methadone