ConfrontingDeathFromDrugSelf-Intoxication(DDSI): PreventionThroughaBetterDefinition

Suicide and other selfdirected violence deaths are likely grossly underestimated, reflecting inappropriate classification of many drug intoxication deaths as accidents or unintentional and heterogeneous ascertainment and coding practices across states. As the tide of prescription and illicit drug-poisoning deaths is rising, public health and research needs would be better satisfied by considering most of these deaths a result of self-intoxication. Epidemiologists and prevention scientists could design better intervention strategies by focusing on premorbid behavior. We propose incorporating deaths from drug selfintoxication and investigations of all poisoning deaths

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