Unnatural causes of death among drug addicts in Stockholm: an analysis of health care and autopsy records.

The aim of this study was to assess causes of death among 258 unnaturally deceased drug addicts who had been part of an earlier longitudinal follow-up of 1,630 patients treated in Stockholm County. An evaluation of the causes of death was carried out on the basis of hospital records and autopsy protocols. The majority of deaths were caused by accidents (39%) and suicides (31%). Intoxications were involved in 67 of the 101 accidents. Violent methods were employed in 40 of the 79 suicides. An exceptionally large proportion (28%) of the fatalities occurred during or immediately after hospitalization, which calls for increased attention to this patient group by the health services.