Study of the Cause-Specific Mortality of Substance Abuse-related Deaths in Kermanshah Province 2010–2015

Introduction: Abuse and dependency on opiates and stimulant substances are a huge challenge to the world today. Because of their potential for causing mortality among consumers in addition to imposing an economic burden and endangering the health of the individual, from the perspective of general public health, this issue is very important to society.

Methods: This was a descriptive-analytical study, which included all deaths in 2010–2015 that were referred to Kermanshah forensic medicine in the west of Iran due to the abuse of substances. Data collection used a checklist based on the information contained in the files of the deceased, including demographic information, diagnostic medical records, body examination, and the results of autopsy, toxicology and pathology.

Results: The total recorded deaths included 490 people (458 men, 32 women) with an average age of 35.7 years. The most common types of used substances were opium and its derivatives (59%). In the final diagnosis of deaths, according to autopsy, the bodies had the highest detection rates for pulmonary tuberculosis (37.6%) followed by cardiac arrest (32.2%). It is imperative to note that in 14.5% of the deceased, HIV was diagnosed. Most of the diagnoses of substance abuse were based on urinary samples (57.7%).

Conclusion: Considering the high rates of deaths found on autopsy to be due to tuberculosis, as well as the prevalence of hepatitis and other disorders and concomitant diseases, attention to infection prevention methods and formulation of an application in line with harm reduction policies seems necessary.