Understanding drug-related mortality in released prisoners: a review of national coronial records

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The prisoner population is characterised by a high burden of disease and social disadvantage, and ex-prisoners are at increased risk of death following release. Much of the excess mortality can be attributed to an increased risk of unnatural death, particularly from drug overdose; however, relatively few studies have investigated the circumstances surrounding drug-related deaths among released prisoners. This study aimed to explore and compare the circumstances of death for those who died from accidental drug-related causes to those who died from all other reportable causes. METHODS: A nationwide search of the Australian National Coroners Information System (NCIS) was conducted..