In this prospective cohort study, data from the NorMA study's 733 respondents were linked with data from the Norwegian Cause of Death Register with a follow up of eight years (2013–2021). We then looked at connections between responses to the NorMA questionnaire (in 2013) and risk of death.
We found that a high score on the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT) was strongly associated with death from external causes (such as accidents, suicide and overdose) up to eight years after the DUDIT screening was performed. We further found that having a job prior to incarceration was protective against mortality. Although these results are from a relatively small sample (56 deaths among 733 respondents), the results are solid and highlight the importance of securing labor market attachment for vulnerable groups. Additionally, we found that the use of validated screening tools such as DUDIT can prevent excess mortality.