Mortality and causes and manner of death among drug addicts in Stockholm during the period 1981-1992

A cohort of 1640 hospitalized drug addicts was studied over an 8-year period, and consisted of 678 heroin users, 578 amphetamine users and 384 users of other drugs. In total, 234 addicts were HIV-positive, most of them heroin users. During the observation period, 214 deaths occurred in the cohort. The total mortality was 2.2% annually. Death linked to injection of heroin was the main cause of death not only among heroin users but also among subjects classified as users of amphetamines or other drugs. During the observation period, a total of 222 addicts (115 of whom were HIV-positive) entered the methadone programme. No deaths occurred among the HIV-negative subjects who were participating in the methadone programme. A total of 15 HIV-positive subjects died while taking part in the programme - 13 of these subjects from natural causes (mostly HIV/AIDS).