Homicides, alcohol and drugs in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, 2000-2009

Objective: to estimate the prevalence and factors associated with the results of post mortem examinations positive for alcohol (EPA), cannabis (EPC) and/or crack-cocaine (EPCC) among people resident in Belo Horizonte-MG, Brazil, who were homicide victims between 2000-2009. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using Mortality Information System (SIM) data; Poisson regression was used to obtain prevalence ratios (PR) and confidence intervals (95% CI). Results: 8,091 homicides were included in the study; in 29.7% of deaths EPA, EPC and/or EPCC were found more frequently among males (PR=1.87; 95% CI: 1.65; 2.11), youth (PR=1.39; 95% CI: 1.26; 1.53), those with no partner (PR=1.64; 95% CI: 1.49; 1.81), black skin color (PR=1.66; 95% CI: 1.51; 1.82), low education (PR=1.42; 95% CI: 1.28; 1.57), injured by firearms (PR= 1.81; 95% CI: 1.63; 2.01) and occurrence in the street (PR= 1.82; 95% CI: 1.64; 2.01). Conclusion: integrating forensic information with SIM data enabled risk behaviors-alcohol and drug use by the victim-to be captured, thus strengthening mortality information as a tool for estimating the size of the complex problem of interpersonal violence and drugs in Brazil.