Characteristics of drug-related deaths where individuals are found submerged in a bath or hot tub in the United Kingdom, 1997-2023.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Recent media reports highlight that drug-related fatalities can occur while individuals are immersed in water in domestic settings. We aimed to determine the case characteristics, circumstances of death and type of implicated drugs among individuals dying due to unintentional drug-related causes found immersed in a bath or hot tub.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study in the United Kingdom using coronial records from the National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths, 1997-2023. Information was available on decedent socio-demographics, characteristics of death and drugs implicated in death.

Results

One hundred fifty-six decedents were found immersed in the bath and six in a hot tub, a mean of 6.4 deaths per year (SD 3.7; range 1-13). Overall decedents were pr

SUBMITTER: Roberts E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11743182 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature