It reports the number of days between the last emergency service attendance and death and examines contact with other health and social services and the association of this with emergency service attendance.
Finally, it examines the association between the frequency of emergency service attendance and the frequency of contact with other services.Methods: A retrospective registry study where all overdose fatalities (n = 231) in Oslo, Norway (2006–2008), was identified through the National Cause of Death Registry and linked with data from other health and social services.
Results
Overall, 61% were emergency service attendees and 18% were frequent attendees. Somatic complaints were the most common reason for attendance. Attendees were more known to a number of other services compared to the non-attendees. Furthermore, there was an association between the frequency of emergency service attendance and the frequency of contact with other services.
Conclusions
Screening for drug use among emergency service attendees may be a way to identify those at risk of overdose death and enable the introduction of additional interventions.
Link til artikkel
- Forfattere: Gjersing, Linn Renathe; Vinge-Holmquist, Kristine; Skurtveit, Svetlana; Bramness, Jørgen Gustav; Clausen, Thomas.
- Publisert: Journal of Substance Use 2017 ;Volum 22.(3) s. 331-336