Accidental Deaths Due to Inhalant Misuse in North Carolina: 2000–2008

Abstract

This study describes the number and characteristics of accidental deaths associated with recreational inhalant misuse in North Carolina from 2000 to 2008. Inhalant-related deaths were identified via an electronic search of records of the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Thirty deaths were attributed to recreational inhalant use, and nearly a third involved the inhalation of compressed-air products. Polydrug use and comorbid psychiatric disorders were common among decedents. The types of inhalants most often resulting in death differed from previous studies, as did the somewhat older mean age of decedents. Further research on inhalant-related mortality is warranted.

RÉSUMÉ

Cette étude décrit le nombre et les caractéristiques des décès accidentels liés à l’abus de substances inhalées de loisirs à North Carolina de 2000 à 2008. Inhalant les décès liés ont été identifiés via une recherche électronique des documents de l’Office de la Caroline du Nord du médecin légiste en chef. Trente décès ont été attribués à l’usage récréatif par inhalation, et près d’un tiers participant à l’inhalation des produits de l’air comprimé. Polyconsommation et comorbidité psychiatrique étaient courants parmi les personnes décédées. Les types de produits à inhaler plus souvent entraîné la mort diffère des études précédentes, de même que la moyenne d’âge un peu plus âgés en cas de décès. D’autres recherches sur la mortalité liée à inhaler est justifiée.

RESUMEN

Este estudio describe el número y las características de las muertes accidentales relacionadas con el uso indebido de inhalantes de recreo en Carolina del Norte desde 2000 hasta 2008. De inhalantes muertes relacionadas fueron identificados a través de una búsqueda electrónica del registro de la Oficina de Carolina del Norte de la médico forense. Treinta muertes fueron atribuidas a el uso de inhalantes de recreo, y casi un tercio participan la inhalación de productos de aire comprimido. Consumo de varias drogas y trastornos psiquiátricos concomitantes eran comunes entre los difuntos. Los tipos de los inhalantes con más frecuencia con resultado de muerte difiere de estudios anteriores, al igual que la media de edad algo mayor de los difuntos. Nuevas investigaciones sobre la mortalidad relacionada con inhalantes está justificada.

Keywords :

• death
• inhalants
• overdose
• poisoning
• solvents
• sudden sniffing death

THE AUTHORS

Martin T. Hall, Ph.D., M.S.S.W is currently a National Institute on Drug Abuse Postdoctoral Fellow in the College of Medicine at University of Kentucky. He completed his doctoral studies in social work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2009. Dr. Hall's primary area of research is adolescent substance use, with a focus on prescription drug misuse.

Jeff Edwards, M.S.W. is currently a second-year doctoral student in the School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where his research interests include juvenile delinquency, adolescent mental health and substance abuse in adolescence. Upon moving to Chapel Hill in 2006, Jeff was a research associate on several different grants and a project manager for the Robert Wood Johnson Pipeline Project conducted in the School of Dentistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Matthew O. Howard, Ph.D. is currently Frank A. Daniels, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Human Services Policy at the School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Howard has published 160 articles, received three grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and conducted research on adolescent substance abuse and delinquency in incarcerated youth populations for much of the past 25 years. Dr. Howard is Editor-in-Chief of Social Work Research, past Editor of Journal of Social Service Research, serves on the editorial boards of nine other journals and has reviewed publications for more than 60 scientific journals.