Accidental deaths due to inhalant misuse in North Carolina: 2000-2008.
This study describes the number and characteristics of accidental deaths associated with recreational inhalant misuse in North Carolina from 2000 to 2008. Inhalant-related deaths were identified via an electronic search of records of the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Thirty deaths were attributed to recreational inhalant use, and nearly a third involved the inhalation of compressed-air products. Polydrug use and comorbid psychiatric disorders were common among decedents. The types of inhalants most often resulting in death differed from previous studies, as did the somewhat older mean age of decedents. Further research on inhalant-related mortality is warranted.
Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0086, USA. martin.hall@uky.edu
Martin Thomas
MT
Hall
Jeffrey D
JD
Edwards
Matthew O
MO
Howard
D000059:Accidents / Q000401:mortality*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002423:Cause of Death; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000401:mortality; D008875:Middle Aged; D009657:North Carolina; D012997:Solvents / Q000506:poisoning*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000401:mortality*; D055815:Young Adult
D012997:Solvents