Risk factors in prescription deaths

Physicians are urged to screen patients for histories of substance abuse and other risk factors before prescribing addictive medications. The Times identified 71 Southern California doctors with three or more patient deaths from prescription drugs from 2006 through 2011. Below is an analysis of coroners' records on the 298 patients who died. Nearly all had at least one risk factor. The biographical details are drawn from coroners' reports.

Physicians are urged to screen patients for histories of substance abuse and other risk factors before prescribing addictive medications. The Times identified 71 Southern California doctors with three or more patient deaths from prescription drugs from 2006 through 2011. Below is an analysis of coroners' records on the 298 patients who died. Nearly all had at least one risk factor. The biographical details are drawn from coroners' reports.

Source: Coroners' records from Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego and Ventura counties.

Credits: Data analysis by Hailey Branson-Potts, Doug Smith and Sandra Poindexter. Interactivity by Armand Emamdjomeh. Design by Lily Mihalik.

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