Contribution
of Illicit Drugs to SF Burden of Disease
Illicit
drugs contribute to a variety of health problems in San Francisco (see
Downstream). In
order to estimate the proportion of premature mortality attributable
to illicit drugs, it would be necessary to know the fraction of each
of cause that can be attributable to illicit drugs. Here is a preliminary
approach:
Poisonings
Virtually 100% of
poisonings can be attributed to illict drugs. The burden of premature
mortality from drug overdoses ("poisonings") is not distributed
equally among the various neighborhoods in San Francisco. See preliminary
page.
HIV/AIDS
from Injection Drug Use
The fraction of
HIV/AIDS attributable to injection drug use in San Francsico is lower
than it is nationally (8% versus 25%), but HIV/AIDS is a leading cause
of premature mortality, and when the 8% of cumulative cases attributable
to injection drug use is combined with the 14% of cases attributable
to injection drug use among men who have sex with men, then roughly
22% of cumulative cases might be characterized as involving injection
drug use. To make an accurate estimate, we would need to know HIV/AIDS
deaths by exposure categories for 2000-1.
According to the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs'
Community
Indicators of Alcohol & Drug Abuse Risk, 2004, San Francisco
ranks highest among the counties in the state for AIDS incidence.
Violence
Unlike alcohol-attributable
violence, that from illicit drugs is less well quantified.
Other
Methamphetamine....(effects
on HIV transmission & violence)
