Problems of Accuracy in Official Statistics on Drug-Related Deaths
- 1 January 1994
- journal article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in International Journal of the Addictions
- Vol. 29 (14) , 1801-1811
- https://doi.org/10.3109/10826089409128258
Abstract
The accuracy of statistics on drug-related deaths depends on numerous processes at work from the investigation of the death-scene to the categorization of the case in official statistics. This article discusses problems in lack of information, pressures on medical examiners, definition, nomenclature, and conventions of coding. The implications for comparisons of rates of drug-related deaths across ethnic groups and geographic areas are discussed.Keywords
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