Drug-related causes of death: Socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the deceased

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe subgroups of those who died from a drug-related cause of death employing demographic and socioeconomic data.

Methods: A total of 1,628 persons with registered drug-related deaths in the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry between 2003 and 2009 were matched with research registers of data on demographic and socioeconomic factors during the five years prior to their deaths.

Results: Three equal-sized clusters were identified: persons with very low socioeconomic status, disability pensioners and people on the edge of the workforce.

Conclusions: Socioeconomic situation prior to drug-related deaths was more heterogeneous than expected. Greater knowledge about the members of the disability pensioner and the edge of the workforce clusters must be established in order to make prevention efforts towards these groups more precise and goal oriented.

Keywords: drug-related death; opioids; prevention; socioeconomic status.