Release Date
Geography
Language of Resource
Full Text Available
Open Access / OK to Reproduce
Peer Reviewed
Objective
To investigate the individual characteristics, causes and circumstances around deaths in stimulant use, and to examine how individuals who died with stimulants in their body differ from individuals who died with opioids in their body.
Findings/Key points
Individuals who died with stimulants in their body died at a higher rate from suicide, transport accidents and other accidents, compared to individuals who died with opioids in their body. This study indicates the need to identify and prevent psychiatric conditions, elevated suicide risk, and risk-taking behaviors among people who use stimulants.
Design/methods
This study includes individuals who died during the years 2000–2018 and underwent a forensic autopsy at Forensic Medicine in Lund, Skåne County, Sweden. All individuals over 18 years of age with stimulants (n = 310), opioids (n = 2,039) or both stimulants and opioids (n = 385) in the body at the time of death, were included.
