Unnatural Death among Treatment Seeking Substance Users in Singapore: A Retrospective Study

Asharani Pv, Tan Jun Wen, Mohamed Zakir Karuvetil, Alvin Cheong, Christopher Cheok and Gomathinayagam Kandasami
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Asharani Pv: Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, 10 Buangkok View, Singapore 539747, Singapore
Tan Jun Wen: National Addictions Management Service, Institute of Mental Health, 10 Buangkok View, Singapore 539747, Singapore
Mohamed Zakir Karuvetil: National Addictions Management Service, Institute of Mental Health, 10 Buangkok View, Singapore 539747, Singapore
Alvin Cheong: National Addictions Management Service, Institute of Mental Health, 10 Buangkok View, Singapore 539747, Singapore
Christopher Cheok: Forensic Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health, 10 Buangkok View, Singapore 539747, Singapore
Gomathinayagam Kandasami: National Addictions Management Service, Institute of Mental Health, 10 Buangkok View, Singapore 539747, Singapore

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 15, 1-11

Abstract: Substance use carries a higher risk of unnatural death. A retrospective analysis of 42 treatment seekers between 2011–2015 was conducted through medical record review to understand the profile and circumstances leading to premature deaths. Ninety percent of the subjects were males. The mean age at death was 44.9 (SD ± 13.1). Opioids (52.4%), benzodiazepines (45.2%) and alcohol (35.7%) were the main substances used by the group. Suicide was the most common cause of death ( n = 27, 64.3%) followed by accidents ( n = 15; 35.7%). Among the suicide cases, alcohol was the main substance used (33.3%) followed by opioids (25.9%). A total of 58.5% ( n = 24) deaths occurred within a year of their last visit while 41.5% ( n = 17) were dead more than a year after their last visit. Of the total cases ( n = 41), 63% had a history of mental illness with depressive disorder (53.8%) being the most common. History of suicide attempts were reported in 34.1% ( n = 14) of cases and 50% of the subjects ( n = 21) had a history of suicidal ideation. Drug related offences were reported in 57.1% of the subjects, of which 60% ( n = 18) committed suicide. The findings support the need for appropriate treatment resources to reduce the untimely deaths among substance users.

Keywords: unnatural death; suicide; accidental death; overdose; opiates; alcohol; substance use (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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