A 12-year study (1975-1986) of mortality in methadone-maintenance patients: selected demographic characteristics and drug-use patterns of AIDS and non-AIDS-related deaths.

This paper describes changes in demographic characteristics and drug use patterns of persons who died while enrolled in a New York City methadone-maintenance program during the years preceding and subsequent to the AIDS epidemic. Persons dying from AIDS were more likely to be younger, Hispanic, and male than those dying from other causes. Drug use increased during the 12-year study period, and the spread of the HIV infection among drug users may be reflected in an increased use of injectable drugs.