Nathalie Auger1, Marianne Bilodeau-Bertrand2, Maud Emmanuelle Labesse3, Tom Kosatsky4. 1. University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Electronic address: nathalie.auger@inspq.qc.ca. 2. University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. 3. Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. 4. National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health, British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, Canada.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Ecologic data suggest that elevated outdoor temperature is correlated with mortality rates from cocaine overdose. Using non-aggregated death records, we studied the association of hot temperatures with risk of death from cocaine overdose. METHODS: We carried out a case-crossover study of all deaths from cocaine or other drug overdose between the months of May and September, from 2000 through 2013 in Quebec, Canada. We used conditional logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between maximum outdoor temperature and death from cocaine or other drug overdose. The main outcome measure was death from cocaine overdose as a function of maximum temperature the day of death and the days immediately preceding death. RESULTS: There were 316 deaths from cocaine overdose and 446 from other drug overdoses during the study. Elevated temperature the preceding week was associated with the likelihood of death from cocaine but not other drug overdose. Compared with 20°C, a maximum weekly temperature of 30°C was associated with an OR of 2.07 for death from cocaine overdose (95% CI 1.15-3.73), but an OR of 1.03 for other drug overdoses (95% CI 0.60-1.75). Associations for cocaine overdose were present with maximum daily temperature the day of and each of the three days preceding death. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated ambient temperature is associated with the risk of death from cocaine overdose. Public health practitioners and drug users should be aware of the added risk of mortality when cocaine is used during hot days.
BACKGROUND: Ecologic data suggest that elevated outdoor temperature is correlated with mortality rates from cocaine overdose. Using non-aggregated death records, we studied the association of hot temperatures with risk of death from cocaine overdose. METHODS: We carried out a case-crossover study of all deaths from cocaine or other drug overdose between the months of May and September, from 2000 through 2013 in Quebec, Canada. We used conditional logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between maximum outdoor temperature and death from cocaine or other drug overdose. The main outcome measure was death from cocaine overdose as a function of maximum temperature the day of death and the days immediately preceding death. RESULTS: There were 316 deaths from cocaine overdose and 446 from other drug overdoses during the study. Elevated temperature the preceding week was associated with the likelihood of death from cocaine but not other drug overdose. Compared with 20°C, a maximum weekly temperature of 30°C was associated with an OR of 2.07 for death from cocaine overdose (95% CI 1.15-3.73), but an OR of 1.03 for other drug overdoses (95% CI 0.60-1.75). Associations for cocaine overdose were present with maximum daily temperature the day of and each of the three days preceding death. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated ambient temperature is associated with the risk of death from cocaine overdose. Public health practitioners and drug users should be aware of the added risk of mortality when cocaine is used during hot days.
Authors: William C Goedel; Brandon D L Marshall; Keith R Spangler; Nicole Alexander-Scott; Traci C Green; Gregory A Wellenius; Kate R Weinberger Journal: Epidemiology Date: 2019-09 Impact factor: 4.822
Authors: Kathleen E McLean; Rebecca Stranberg; Melissa MacDonald; Gregory R A Richardson; Tom Kosatsky; Sarah B Henderson Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2018-09-19 Impact factor: 3.390