This paper presents some results of a Canadian study of mortality in a sample of convicted drinking drivers. The work reported aimed to determine whether individuals convicted of a second drink-driving offence had increased mortality between 7 and 13 years later, and whether exposure to rehabilitation programmes affected that mortality. The sample consisted of all individuals who were convicted of a second drink-driving offence in two Ontario cities between 1973 and late 1978; they were assigned to attend brief educational programmes. The sample had 614 males and 25 females, of average age 35.6 years. Among the males, 51 deaths were observed, and 30.23 were expected, according to the Poisson distribution; the corresponding figures for females were 2 and 0.49. The males were thus 70% more likely to die during the follow-up period. The male deaths were analysed further by age and cause; at least ten were accidental/violent deaths, and at least nine were from alcohol related diseases; the causes were unknown for ten of the deaths. 347 males participated in rehabilitation programmes after random assignment there; they had significantly fewer total deaths and accidental/violent deaths than the other males.
Abstract