Mortality of opiate users in Vienna, Austria.
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there are differences in overall and cause-specific mortality rates of opiate users in maintenance treatment and of opiate users not in any drug treatment program in Vienna, Austria. A cohort of opiate-users enrolled in maintenance treatment in Vienna and a cohort of individuals involved in opiate-related emergencies from 1995 to 1997 were retrospectively analyzed. The standardized mortality rate of opiate-users enrolled in maintenance treatment was 12.1 and that of individuals involved in opiate-related emergencies was 48.8. Excess mortality was found for all categories for both groups. In the face of the extremely high excess mortality of opiate users involved in opiate-related emergencies, measures have to be taken to get these individuals in drug treatment programs as soon as possible.
Risser
D
D
Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Vienna, Sensengasse 2, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. daniele.risser@univie.ac.at
Hönigschnabl
S
S
Stichenwirth
M
M
Pfudl
S
S
Sebald
D
D
Kaff
A
A
Bauer
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data