Bereavement following a fatal overdose: The experiences of adults in England and Scotland

Figures & data

Table 1. Information about each death (N = 30).

Interview ID number	Demographic summary (E = England and S = Scotland)	Summary of the death
1	Mother whose son died aged 29 in 2011 (S)	Heart attack as a result of a drugs and alcohol overdose, deceased took (or was given) methadone prescribed to someone else
2	Mother whose son died aged 28 in 2001 (S)	Intravenous heroin overdose, found outside on the pavement and pronounced dead at accident & emergency
3	Woman whose fiancé died aged 17/18 in 1998 (S)	Methadone/tablet intoxication. Interviewee found the deceased at their home
4	Man whose (half-)brother died aged 29 in 2009 (S)	Accidental intravenous heroin/drugs overdose. Died in a house where he had been taking drugs with others
5	Father whose (step-)son died aged 24 in 2008 (S)	Accidental heroin/drug overdose. Found at home by his parents
6	Mother whose son died aged 20 in 2001 (S)	Heroin/drugs overdose. Died in a house where he had been taking drugs with others
7	Mother whose son died aged 23 in 1995 (S)	Blood clot linked to intravenous heroin/drug use. Deceased found in another person’s house three weeks after last seen by his mother
8	Mother whose son died aged 29 in 1999 (S)	Heroin overdose, found by his mother at their home
9	Woman whose friend died aged 28 in 2001 (S)	Drugs (unknown) overdose, found by his mother at their home
10	Mother whose son died aged 26 in 1999 (S)	Drugs (assume heroin) overdose. Deceased died on his own in his flat
11	Mother whose son died aged 28 in 2010 (S)	Heroin/methadone overdose. Deceased found at home by his seven-year-old brother
12	Mother whose son died aged 23 in 2007 (S)	Unascertainable drugs overdose – cocaine contaminated with subutex and other substances. Deceased died at another’s house
13	Mother whose son died aged 26 in 2010 (S)	Heroin overdose. Deceased found in the flat of a known local drug dealer
14	Sister whose brother died aged 43 in 2005 (S)	Heroin (probably intravenous) overdose. Deceased found at a local residence
15	Mother whose son died aged 26 in 2007 (S)	Heroin overdose. Deceased found dead in a local “midden” (bin shed)
16	Mother whose son died aged 32 in 2012 (S)	Heroin overdose. Deceased found dead on the sofa by his mother
17	Mother whose son died aged 21 in 1996	Aspiration pneumonia due to intravenous heroin use. Deceased died at his probation hostel
18	Mother whose son died aged 32 in 2006 (E)	Morphine overdose complicated by liver and pancreas problems. Deceased found collapsed in a supermarket car park and died in hospital
19	Friend whose friend (both male) died aged 24 in 2007 (E)	Interviewee injected his friend (heroin) in his (interviewee’s) bathroom and was present when the friend was pronounced dead the following morning
20	Friend whose friend (both male) died aged 40 in 2006 (E)	Drugs overdose. Deceased died in another person’s bathroom
21	Man whose ex-wife died aged 33 in 1994 (E)	Heroin overdose. Deceased died in her flat
22	Man whose friend (both male) died aged 27 in 1990 (E)	Suicide (methadone overdose). Deceased died in his own flat and was not found for about one week
23	Father who son died aged 20 in 2010 (E)	Intravenous heroin overdose (other substances also present). Deceased found in a pub toilet and died in hospital
24	Couple whose son died aged 27 in 2007 (E)	Accidental intravenous heroin overdose. Deceased died at another’s house and was found dead the next morning
25	Mother whose son died aged 20 in 2012 (E)	Ketamine (intravenous) and codeine overdose. Deceased died at his father’s house
26	Mother whose son died aged 27 in 2003 (E)	Heroin overdose. Deceased found by his mother at her house and died in hospital
27	Mother whose son died aged 20 in 2007 (E)	Cardiac arrest linked to alcohol/drugs toxicity (including intravenous and smoked heroin). Deceased found in a public toilet and died in hospital
28	Mother whose son died aged 21 in 2007 (E)	Respiratory failure/misadventure as a result of an accidental heroin overdose. Deceased died in another person’s flat. Death occurred abroad
29 and 30	Couple & sister of a man who died aged 30 in 2009 (E)	Respiratory failure as a result of a heroin overdose. Deceased died in his bedroom at home and was found by his parents