Predictors of Death From Physical Illness or Accidental/Intentional Causes Among Patients With Substance-Related Disorders

Frequent emergency department (ED) use strongly predicted both causes of death, suggesting that outpatient care responded inadequately to patient needs. Only receipt of specialized substance-related discorder (SRD) and psychiatric care significantly decreased the risk of death from physical illness, with trends toward significance for accidental/intentional death. Hospitalization, greater material deprivation and having SRD-chronic physical illnesses or alcohol-related disorders most strongly predicted risk of death from physical illness. Sociodemographic characteristics, mainly social deprivation, were more likely to predict accidental/intentional death.