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Susukida R, Nestadt PS, Kharrazi H, Wilcox HC. Prevalence and Correlates of Opioid-Involved Suicides in Maryland. Arch Suicide Res 2024; 28:660-673. [PMID: 37143364 PMCID: PMC10624645 DOI: 10.1080/13811118.2023.2207612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Involvement of opioids in suicides has doubled during the past two decades, worsening a major public health concern. This study examined the characteristics of opioid-involved suicides. METHODS The sample of decedents (N = 12,038) in Maryland between 2006 and 2020 was used to compare the characteristics of opioid-involved suicides (n = 947) with suicides not involving opioids (n = 6,896) and accidental opioid deaths (n = 4,125). Direct comparisons were then made between opioid-involved suicides with and without the additional presence of non-opioid substances. RESULTS Opioid-involved suicides were significantly more likely than suicides not involving opioids to occur among those aged 18-64 years, non-Hispanic Whites, and unemployed or disabled individuals. Opioid-involved suicides were more likely than accidental opioid deaths to occur among females, those aged <18 years, non-Hispanic Whites, and employed individuals. Of all suicides involved opioids, 45% involved other non-opioid substances. Polysubstance opioid suicides were significantly more likely than suicides involving opioids only to occur among non-Hispanic Whites. CONCLUSIONS Significant differences were observed in the demographic groups most at risk for opioid-involved suicide than other suicide or accidental opioid death. Among opioid-involved suicides, polysubstance involvement also represents a distinct group. These findings may enhance the targeting of prevention efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryoko Susukida
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Paul S. Nestadt
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe St. Baltimore, MD 21287
| | - Hadi Kharrazi
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Division of Health Sciences Informatics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe St. Baltimore, MD 21287
| | - Holly C. Wilcox
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe St. Baltimore, MD 21287
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Johns Hopkins University School of Education, Education Building, 2800 N. Charles St. Baltimore, MD 21218
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Peddireddy SR, Livingston MD, Young AM, Freeman PR, Ibragimov U, Komro KA, Lofwall MR, Oser CB, Staton M, Cooper HLF. Willingness to utilize a mobile treatment unit in five counties at the epicenter of the US rural opioid epidemic. JOURNAL OF SUBSTANCE USE AND ADDICTION TREATMENT 2024; 159:209262. [PMID: 38103835 PMCID: PMC10947911 DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2023.209262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION US federal policies are evolving to expand the provision of mobile treatment units (MTUs) offering medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). Mobile MOUD services are critical for rural areas with poor geographic access to fixed-site treatment providers. This study explored willingness to utilize an MTU among a sample of people who use opioids in rural Eastern Kentucky counties at the epicenter of the US opioid epidemic. METHODS The study analyzed Cross-sectional survey data from the Kentucky Communities and Researchers Engaging to Halt the Opioid Epidemic (CARE2HOPE) study covering five rural counties in the state. Logistic regression models investigated the association between willingness to utilize an MTU providing buprenorphine and naltrexone and potential correlates of willingness, identified using the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations. RESULTS The analytic sample comprised 174 people who used opioids within the past six months. Willingness to utilize an MTU was high; 76.5 % of participants endorsed being willing. Those who had recently received MOUD treatment, compared to those who had not received any form of treatment or recovery support services, had six-fold higher odds of willingness to use an MTU. However, odds of being willing to utilize an MTU were 73 % lower among those who were under community supervision (e.g., parole, probation) and 81 % lower among participants who experienced an overdose within the past six months. CONCLUSIONS There was high acceptability of MTUs offering buprenorphine and naltrexone within this sample, highlighting the potential for MTUs to alleviate opioid-related harms in underserved rural areas. However, the finding that people who were recently under community supervision or had overdosed were significantly less willing to seek mobile MOUD treatment suggest barriers (e.g., stigma) to mobile MOUD at individual and systemic levels, which may prevent improving opioid-related outcomes in these rural communities given their high rates of criminal-legal involvement and overdose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Snigdha R Peddireddy
- Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, USA.
| | - Melvin D Livingston
- Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, USA
| | - April M Young
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University of Kentucky College of Public Health, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Patricia R Freeman
- Department of Pharmacy Practice & Science, University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Umedjon Ibragimov
- Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, USA
| | - Kelli A Komro
- Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, USA
| | - Michelle R Lofwall
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Carrie B Oser
- Department of Sociology, University of Kentucky College of Arts & Sciences, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Michele Staton
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Hannah L F Cooper
- Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, USA
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Bovell-Ammon BJ, Yan S, Dunn D, Evans EA, Friedmann PD, Walley AY, LaRochelle MR. Prison Buprenorphine Implementation and Postrelease Opioid Use Disorder Outcomes. JAMA Netw Open 2024; 7:e242732. [PMID: 38497959 PMCID: PMC10949092 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.2732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance Agonist medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), buprenorphine and methadone, in carceral settings might reduce the risk of postrelease opioid overdose but are uncommonly offered. In April 2019, the Massachusetts Department of Correction (MADOC), the state prison system, provided buprenorphine for incarcerated individuals in addition to previously offered injectable naltrexone. Objective To evaluate postrelease outcomes after buprenorphine implementation. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study with interrupted time-series analysis used linked data across multiple statewide data sets in the Massachusetts Public Health Data Warehouse stratified by sex due to differences in carceral systems. Eligible participants were individuals sentenced and released from a MADOC facility to the community. The study period for the male sample was January 2014 to November 2020; for the female sample, January 2015 to October 2019. Data were analyzed between February 2022 and January 2024. Exposure April 2019 implementation of buprenorphine during incarceration. Main Outcomes and Measures Receipt of MOUD within 4 weeks after release, opioid overdose, and all-cause mortality within 8 weeks after release, each measured as a percentage of monthly releases who experienced the outcome. Segmented linear regression analyzed changes in outcome rates after implementation. Results A total of 15 225 individuals were included. In the male sample there were 14 582 releases among 12 688 individuals (mean [SD] age, 35.0 [10.8] years; 133 Asian and Pacific Islander [0.9%], 4079 Black [28.0%], 4208 Hispanic [28.9%], 6117 White [41.9%]), a rate of 175.7 releases per month; the female sample included 3269 releases among 2537 individuals (mean [SD] age, 34.9 [9.8] years; 328 Black [10.0%], 225 Hispanic [6.9%], 2545 White [77.9%]), a rate of 56.4 releases per month. Among male participants at 20 months postimplementation, the monthly rate of postrelease buprenorphine receipt was higher than would have been expected under baseline trends (21.2% vs 10.6% of monthly releases; 18.6 additional releases per month). Naltrexone receipt was lower than expected (1.0% vs 6.0%; 8.8 fewer releases per month). Monthly rates of methadone receipt (1.4%) and opioid overdose (1.8%) were not significantly different than expected. All-cause mortality was lower than expected (1.9% vs 2.8%; 1.5 fewer deaths per month). Among female participants at 7 months postimplementation, buprenorphine receipt was higher than expected (31.6% vs 9.5%; 12.4 additional releases per month). Naltrexone receipt was lower than expected (3.4% vs 7.2%) but not statistically significantly different. Monthly rates of methadone receipt (1.1%), opioid overdose (4.8%), and all-cause mortality (1.6%) were not significantly different than expected. Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study of state prison releases, postrelease buprenorphine receipt increased and naltrexone receipt decreased after buprenorphine became available during incarceration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J. Bovell-Ammon
- Departments of Medicine and of Healthcare Delivery and Population Sciences, Baystate Health, Springfield, Massachusetts
- Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center and Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Shapei Yan
- Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center and Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Devon Dunn
- Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Elizabeth A. Evans
- Department of Health Promotion and Policy, University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Public Health & Health Sciences, Amherst
| | - Peter D. Friedmann
- Office of Research and Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School—Baystate and Baystate Health, Springfield
| | - Alexander Y. Walley
- Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center and Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Marc R. LaRochelle
- Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center and Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
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Tan M, Park C, Goldman J, Biello KB, Buxton J, Hadland SE, Park JN, Sherman SG, Macmadu A, Marshall BDL. Association between willingness to use an overdose prevention center and probation or parole status among people who use drugs in Rhode Island. Harm Reduct J 2024; 21:54. [PMID: 38424553 PMCID: PMC10905878 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-024-00969-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Overdose prevention centers (OPCs) are being implemented in the United States as a strategy to reduce drug-related mortality and morbidity. Previous studies have suggested that people who use drugs (PWUD) with a history of criminal legal system (CLS) involvement (e.g. current probation/parole) are at greater risk of overdose but may also encounter significant barriers to OPC use. The objective of this study was to explore the association between willingness to use an OPC and probation/parole status in a sample of PWUD in Rhode Island. METHODS This study utilized data from the Rhode Island Prescription and Illicit Drug Study, which enrolled adult PWUD from August 2020 to February 2023. We used Pearson's chi-square and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests to assess bivariate associations between willingness to use an OPC and probation/parole status (current/previous/never), as well as other sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics. In multivariable Poisson analyses, we examined the association between willingness to use an OPC and probation/parole status, adjusting for key sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics. RESULTS Among 482 study participants, 67% were male, 56% identified as white, 20% identified as Hispanic/Latine, and the median age was 43 (IQR 35-53). Nearly a quarter (24%) had never been on probation/parole, 44% were not currently on probation/parole but had a lifetime history of probation and parole, and 32% were currently on probation/parole. Most participants (71%) reported willingness to use an OPC, and in both bivariate and multivariable analyses, willingness to use an OPC did not vary by probation/parole status. Crack cocaine use and lifetime non-fatal overdose were associated with greater willingness to use an OPC (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS These data demonstrate high willingness to use OPC among PWUD in Rhode Island regardless of CLS-involvement. As OPCs begin to be implemented in Rhode Island, it will be imperative to engage people with CLS-involvement and to ensure access to the OPC and protection against re-incarceration due to potential barriers, such as police surveillance of OPCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Tan
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
| | - Carolyn Park
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
| | - Jacqueline Goldman
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
| | - Katie B Biello
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
| | - Jane Buxton
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Scott E Hadland
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ju Nyeong Park
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
| | - Susan G Sherman
- Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Alexandria Macmadu
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
| | - Brandon D L Marshall
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI, 02903, USA.
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O'Grady MA, Elkington KS, Robson G, Achebe IY, Williams AR, Cohall AT, Cohall R, Christofferson M, Garcia A, Ramsey KS, Lincourt P, Tross S. Referral to and engagement in substance use disorder treatment within opioid intervention courts in New York: a qualitative study of implementation barriers and facilitators. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy 2024; 19:12. [PMID: 38287329 PMCID: PMC10826099 DOI: 10.1186/s13011-024-00593-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND People with opioid use disorder (OUD) are frequently in contact with the court system and have markedly higher rates of fatal opioid overdose. Opioid intervention courts (OIC) were developed to address increasing rates of opioid overdose among court defendants by engaging court staff in identification of treatment need and referral for opioid-related services and building collaborations between the court and OUD treatment systems. The study goal was to understand implementation barriers and facilitators in referring and engaging OIC clients in OUD treatment. METHODS Semi-structured interviews were conducted with OIC stakeholders (n = 46) in 10 New York counties in the United States, including court coordinators, court case managers, and substance use disorder treatment clinic counselors, administrators, and peers. Interviews were recorded and transcribed and thematic analysis was conducted, guided by the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) framework, employing both inductive and deductive coding. RESULTS Results were conceptualized using EPIS inner (i.e., courts) and outer (i.e., OUD treatment providers) implementation contexts and bridging factors that impacted referral and engagement to OUD treatment from the OIC. Inner factors that facilitated OIC implementation included OIC philosophy (e.g., non-punitive, access-oriented), court organizational structure (e.g., strong court staff connectedness), and OIC court staff and client characteristics (e.g., positive medications for OUD [MOUD] attitudes). The latter two also served as barriers (e.g., lack of formalized procedures; stigma toward MOUD). Two outer context entities impacted OIC implementation as both barriers and facilitators: substance use disorder treatment programs (e.g., attitudes toward the OIC and MOUD; operational characteristics) and community environments (e.g., attitudes toward the opioid epidemic). The COVID-19 pandemic and bail reform were macro-outer context factors that negatively impacted OIC implementation. Facilitating bridging factors included staffing practices that bridged court and treatment systems (e.g., peers); barriers included communication and cultural differences between systems (e.g., differing expectations about OIC client success). CONCLUSIONS This study identified key barriers and facilitators that OICs may consider as this model expands in the United States. Referral to and engagement in OUD treatment within the OIC context requires ongoing efforts to bridge the treatment and court systems, and reduce stigma around MOUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan A O'Grady
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, 263 Farmington Ave, Farmington, CT, 06030, USA.
| | - Katherine S Elkington
- HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Behavioral Health and Youth Justice, Columbia University, New York Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gail Robson
- Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ikenna Y Achebe
- Center for Behavioral Health and Youth Justice, Columbia University, New York Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Arthur Robin Williams
- Division on Substance Use Disorders, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alwyn T Cohall
- Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Renee Cohall
- Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Kelly S Ramsey
- New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Pat Lincourt
- New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Susan Tross
- HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Division on Substance Use Disorders, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
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Joshi S, Rivera BD, Cerdá M, Guy GP, Strahan A, Wheelock H, Davis CS. One-Year Association of Drug Possession Law Change With Fatal Drug Overdose in Oregon and Washington. JAMA Psychiatry 2023; 80:1277-1283. [PMID: 37755815 PMCID: PMC10535015 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2023.3416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Importance Two states modified laws to remove or substantially reduce criminal penalties for any drug possession. The hypothesis was that removing criminal penalties for drug possession may reduce fatal drug overdoses due to reduced incarceration and increased calls for help at the scene of an overdose. Objective To evaluate whether decriminalization of drug possession in Oregon and Washington was associated with changes in either direction in fatal drug overdose rates. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study used a synthetic control method approach to examine whether there were changes in drug possession laws and fatal drug overdose rates in Oregon and Washington in the postpolicy period (February 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022, in Oregon and March 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022, in Washington). A counterfactual comparison group (synthetic controls) was created for Oregon and Washington, using 48 states and the District of Columbia, that did not implement similar policies during the study period (January 1, 2018, to March 31, 2022). For 2018-2021, final multiple cause-of-death data from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) were used. For 2022, provisional NVSS data were used. Drug overdose deaths were identified using International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision underlying cause-of-death codes X40-X44, X60-X64, X85, and Y10-Y14. Exposures In Oregon, Measure 110 went into effect on February 1, 2021. In Washington, the Washington Supreme Court decision in State v Blake occurred on February 25, 2021. Main Outcome Monthly fatal drug overdose rates. Results Following the implementation of Measure 110, absolute monthly rate differences between Oregon and its synthetic control were not statistically significant (probability = 0.26). The average rate difference post Measure 110 was 0.268 fatal drug overdoses per 100 000 state population. Following the implementation of the policy change in Washington, the absolute monthly rate differences between Washington and synthetic Washington were not statistically significant (probability = 0.06). The average rate difference post Blake was 0.112 fatal drug overdoses per 100 000 state population. Conclusions and Relevance This study found no evidence of an association between legal changes that removed or substantially reduced criminal penalties for drug possession in Oregon and Washington and fatal drug overdose rates. Additional research could examine potential other outcomes as well as longer-term associations with fatal drug overdose overall and across racial and ethnic groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spruha Joshi
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York
| | - Bianca D. Rivera
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York
| | - Magdalena Cerdá
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York
| | - Gery P. Guy
- Division of Overdose Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Andrea Strahan
- Division of Overdose Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | - Corey S. Davis
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York
- Network for Public Health Law, Edina, Minnesota
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Davis CS, Joshi S, Rivera BD, Cerdá M. Changes in arrests following decriminalization of low-level drug possession in Oregon and Washington. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2023; 119:104155. [PMID: 37567089 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite evidence that the U.S. "War on Drugs" is associated with increases in drug-related harm and other negative outcomes, all U.S. states have long criminalized most drug possession. In early 2021, both Oregon and Washington became exceptions to this rule when they fully (Oregon) or partially (Washington) decriminalized possession of small amounts of all drugs. METHODS We obtained arrest data for 2019 to 2021 for intervention states (Oregon and Washington) and control states (Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Nevada). We calculated monthly rates for arrests overall and for violent crimes, drug possession, equipment possession, non-drug crimes, and a set of low-level crimes termed displaced arrests. Using an interrupted time series analysis, we examined changes in monthly arrest rates after the implementation of policy change in Oregon and Washington compared to control states. RESULTS In Oregon, there were 3 fewer drug possession arrests per 100,000 in the month after the policy change; the rate decreased throughout the post-implementation period. In Washington, there were almost 5 fewer drug possession arrests per 100,000 in the month following policy change, and the rate remained stable thereafter. Both declines were significantly greater than in comparison states. There were also statistically significant reductions in arrests for possession of drug equipment in Washington and a significant increase in displaced arrests in Oregon. There were no significant changes in overall arrests, non-drug arrests or arrests for violent crime in either state, relative to controls. CONCLUSION This analysis demonstrates that it is possible for state drug decriminalization policies to dramatically reduce arrests for drug possession without increasing arrests for violent crimes, potentially reducing harm to people who use drugs and their communities. Additional research is needed to determine whether these legal reforms were associated with changes in overdose rates and other drug-related harms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey S Davis
- Department of Population Health, Grossman School of Medicine, New York University Langone, 180 Madison Ave, 4th Floor New York, NY 10016, United States; Network for Public Health Law, 7101 York Avenue South, #270 Edina, MN 55435, United States.
| | - Spruha Joshi
- Department of Population Health, Grossman School of Medicine, New York University Langone, 180 Madison Ave, 4th Floor New York, NY 10016, United States
| | - Bianca D Rivera
- Department of Population Health, Grossman School of Medicine, New York University Langone, 180 Madison Ave, 4th Floor New York, NY 10016, United States
| | - Magdalena Cerdá
- Department of Population Health, Grossman School of Medicine, New York University Langone, 180 Madison Ave, 4th Floor New York, NY 10016, United States
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Cooper JA, Onyeka I, Cardwell C, Paterson E, Kirk R, O'Reilly D, Donnelly M. Record linkage studies of drug-related deaths among adults who were released from prison to the community: a scoping review. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:826. [PMID: 37147595 PMCID: PMC10161544 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-15673-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are public health concerns about an increased risk of mortality after release from prison. The objectives of this scoping review were to investigate, map and summarise evidence from record linkage studies about drug-related deaths among former adult prisoners. METHODS MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO and Web of Science were searched for studies (January 2011- September 2021) using keywords/index headings. Two authors independently screened all titles and abstracts using inclusion and exclusion criteria and subsequently screened full publications. Discrepancies were discussed with a third author. One author extracted data from all included publications using a data charting form. A second author independently extracted data from approximately one-third of the publications. Data were entered into Microsoft Excel sheets and cleaned for analysis. Standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) were pooled (where possible) using a random-effects DerSimonian-Laird model in STATA. RESULTS A total of 3680 publications were screened by title and abstract, and 109 publications were fully screened; 45 publications were included. The pooled drug-related SMR was 27.07 (95%CI 13.32- 55.02; I 2 = 93.99%) for the first two weeks (4 studies), 10.17 (95%CI 3.74-27.66; I 2 = 83.83%) for the first 3-4 weeks (3 studies) and 15.58 (95%CI 7.05-34.40; I 2 = 97.99%) for the first 1 year after release (3 studies) and 6.99 (95%CI 4.13-11.83; I 2 = 99.14%) for any time after release (5 studies). However, the estimates varied markedly between studies. There was considerable heterogeneity in terms of study design, study size, location, methodology and findings. Only four studies reported the use of a quality assessment checklist/technique. CONCLUSIONS This scoping review found an increased risk of drug-related death after release from prison, particularly during the first two weeks after release, though drug-related mortality risk remained elevated for the first year among former prisoners. Evidence synthesis was limited as only a small number of studies were suitable for pooled analyses for SMRs due to inconsistencies in study design and methodology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine A Cooper
- Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Royal Hospitals Site, Grosvenor Road, Belfast, UK.
- Administrative Data Research Centre Northern Ireland (ADRC NI), Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Royal Hospitals Site, Grosvenor Road, Belfast, UK.
| | - Ifeoma Onyeka
- Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Royal Hospitals Site, Grosvenor Road, Belfast, UK
- Administrative Data Research Centre Northern Ireland (ADRC NI), Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Royal Hospitals Site, Grosvenor Road, Belfast, UK
- Present address: Department of Psychology, Sociology and Politics, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK
| | - Christopher Cardwell
- Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Royal Hospitals Site, Grosvenor Road, Belfast, UK
| | - Euan Paterson
- Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Royal Hospitals Site, Grosvenor Road, Belfast, UK
- Administrative Data Research Centre Northern Ireland (ADRC NI), Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Royal Hospitals Site, Grosvenor Road, Belfast, UK
| | - Richard Kirk
- Healthcare in Prison, South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, Dundonald, UK
| | - Dermot O'Reilly
- Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Royal Hospitals Site, Grosvenor Road, Belfast, UK
- Administrative Data Research Centre Northern Ireland (ADRC NI), Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Royal Hospitals Site, Grosvenor Road, Belfast, UK
| | - Michael Donnelly
- Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Royal Hospitals Site, Grosvenor Road, Belfast, UK
- Administrative Data Research Centre Northern Ireland (ADRC NI), Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Royal Hospitals Site, Grosvenor Road, Belfast, UK
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Sichel CE, Winetsky D, Campos S, O'Grady MA, Tross S, Kim J, Cohall A, Cohall R, Elkington KS. Patterns and contexts of polysubstance use among young and older adults who are involved in the criminal legal system and use opioids: A mixed methods study. J Subst Abuse Treat 2022; 143:108864. [PMID: 36242819 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2022.108864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Opioid prevention and treatment programs tailored to young adults involved in the criminal legal system are rare. We examined profiles of polysubstance use among younger and older adults involved in the criminal legal system who use opioids, and explored their experiences and motivations related to substance use. Information gleaned can inform the adaptation of existing programs and the development of novel approaches for young adults in the criminal legal system. METHODS Using a sequential mixed methods design we 1) quantitatively identified typologies of polysubstance users among adults aged 18-24 (n = 92) and those age 25 and over (n = 27) involved in the criminal legal system who use opioids, using latent class analysis and 2) qualitatively explored differences in personal motivations, cultural influences, and psychosocial contexts of substance use by class. RESULTS Our quantitative results supported a three-class typology: the majority of participants were in Class I (73 %, n = 87) and reported using primarily alcohol and marijuana. Participants in Classes II (15 %, n = 18) and III (12 %, n = 14) endorsed distinct and complicated polysubstance use profiles. Further, participants in Classes I and III were significantly younger than those in Class II. Qualitative analysis allowed us to understand associations between patterns of use, motivations, and contexts among young and older adults, comparing across classes. CONCLUSIONS Our results highlight the importance of attending to the needs of subpopulations based on age and use patterns to adapt and develop targeted treatment and prevention programs for high-risk adults involved in the criminal legal system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel Winetsky
- STAR Program, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
| | - Stephanie Campos
- HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, Columbia University; New York State Psychiatric Institute
| | | | - Susan Tross
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University; HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, Columbia University; New York State Psychiatric Institute
| | - Jane Kim
- HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, Columbia University; New York State Psychiatric Institute
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10
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Shearer RD, Winkelman TNA, Khatri UG. State level variation in substance use treatment admissions among criminal legal-referred individuals. Drug Alcohol Depend 2022; 240:109651. [PMID: 36228467 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals involved in the criminal legal system face unique challenges to accessing substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, yet state-level variation in referrals for treatment remains largely unknown. To address disparities in the overdose crisis among individuals with criminal legal involvement, it is important to understand variation in SUD treatment across states. METHODS We conducted a retrospective comparison of substance use treatment referrals from the criminal legal system and other sources across participating states. Using data from the 2018-2019 Treatment Episode Dataset-Admissions, we characterized treatment referral rates from the criminal legal system, the substances most commonly leading to treatment, and rates of treatment with medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) across states. RESULTS Across all states, criminal legal referral rates were higher than non-criminal legal rates. Criminal-legal referral rates, adjusted for state overdose deaths, were highest in the Northeast and Midwest. Methamphetamine use was the most common substance leading to treatment referral from the criminal legal system in 24 states while opioid use was the most common reason for non-criminal legal referrals in 34 states. In over half the states analyzed, fewer than 10% of opioid treatment referrals from the criminal legal system received MOUD. In almost all states, MOUD was more common in treatment referred from non-criminal legal settings. CONCLUSION State-specific policies and practices shape drug policy and the SUD treatment landscape for people with criminal legal involvement. Standards and ongoing monitoring for substance use treatment referrals from the criminal-legal system should be considered by federal agencies charged with addressing the ongoing overdose crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riley D Shearer
- University of Minnesota School of Public Health, 420 Delaware St SE, Mayo Building B681, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Health, Homelessness, and Criminal Justice Lab, Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute, 701 Park Ave., Suite PP7.700, Minneapolis, MN 55415, USA
| | - Tyler N A Winkelman
- Health, Homelessness, and Criminal Justice Lab, Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute, 701 Park Ave., Suite PP7.700, Minneapolis, MN 55415, USA; Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Hennepin Healthcare, 716 S 7th St, Minneapolis, MN 55415, USA
| | - Utsha G Khatri
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L Levy Place, Box 1620, New York, NY 10029, USA; Institute for Health Equity Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L Levy Place, Box 1077, New York, NY 10029, USA.
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11
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Krawczyk N, Bandara S, Merritt S, Shah H, Duncan A, McEntee B, Schiff M, Ahmad NJ, Whaley S, Latimore A, Saloner B. Jail-based treatment for opioid use disorder in the era of bail reform: a qualitative study of barriers and facilitators to implementation of a state-wide medication treatment initiative. Addict Sci Clin Pract 2022; 17:30. [PMID: 35655293 PMCID: PMC9161649 DOI: 10.1186/s13722-022-00313-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Until recently, few carceral facilities offered medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). Although more facilities are adopting MOUD, much remains to be learned about addressing implementation challenges related to expansion of MOUD in carceral settings and linkage to care upon re-entry. This is particularly important in jails, where individuals cycle rapidly in and out of these facilities, especially in jurisdictions beginning to implement bail reform laws (i.e., laws that remove the requirement to pay bail for most individuals). Increasing access to MOUD in these settings is a key unexplored challenge. Methods In this qualitative study, we interviewed staff from county jails across New Jersey, a state that has implemented state-wide efforts to increase capacity for MOUD treatment in jails. We analyzed themes related to current practices used to engage individuals in MOUD while in jail and upon re-entry; major challenges to delivering MOUD and re-entry services, particularly under bail reform conditions; and innovative strategies to facilitate delivery of these services. Results Jail staff from 11 New Jersey county jails participated in a baseline survey and an in-depth qualitative interview from January–September 2020. Responses revealed that practices for delivering MOUD varied substantially across jails. Primary challenges included jails’ limited resources and highly regulated operations, the chaotic nature of short jail stays, and concerns regarding limited MOUD and resources in the community. Still, jail staff identified multiple facilitators and creative solutions for delivering MOUD in the face of these obstacles, including opportunities brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions Despite challenges to the delivery of MOUD, states can make concerted and sustained efforts to support opioid addiction treatment in jails. Increased use of evidence-based clinical guidelines, greater investment in resources, and increased partnerships with health and social service providers can greatly improve reach of treatment and save lives. Supplementary information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13722-022-00313-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noa Krawczyk
- Center for Opioid Epidemiology and Policy, Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, 180 Madison Ave, Room 4-12, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Sachini Bandara
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sydney Merritt
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Hridika Shah
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | | | | | - N Jia Ahmad
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sara Whaley
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Amanda Latimore
- Center for Addiction Research and Effective Solutions, American Institutes for Research, Arlington, VA, USA
| | - Brendan Saloner
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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12
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Ferris LM, Weiner JP, Saloner B, Kharrazi H. Comparing person-level matching algorithms to identify risk across disparate datasets among patients with a controlled substance prescription: retrospective analysis. JAMIA Open 2022; 5:ooac020. [PMID: 35571361 PMCID: PMC9097759 DOI: 10.1093/jamiaopen/ooac020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
The opioid epidemic in the United States has precipitated a need for public health agencies to better understand risk factors associated with fatal overdoses. Matching person-level information stored in public health, medical, and human services datasets can enhance the understanding of opioid overdose risk factors and interventions.
Objective
This study compares approximate match versus exact match algorithms to link disparate datasets together for identifying persons at risk from an applied perspective.
Methods
This study used statewide prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP), arrest, and mortality data matched at the person-level using an approximate match and 2 exact match algorithms. Impact of matching was assessed by analyzing 3 independent concepts: (1) the prevalence of key risk indicators used by PDMP programs in practice, (2) the prevalence of arrests and fatal opioid overdose, and (3) the performance of a multivariate logistic regression for fatal opioid overdose. The PDMP key risk indicators included (1) multiple provider episodes (MPE), or patients with prescriptions from multiple prescribers and dispensers, (2) high morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs), which represents an opioid’s potency relative to morphine, and (3) overlapping opioid and benzodiazepine prescriptions.
Results
Prevalence of PDMP-based risk indicators were higher in the approximate match population for MPEs (n = 4893/1 859 445 [0.26%]) and overlapping opioid/benzodiazepines (n = 57 888/1 859 445 [4.71%]), but the exact-basic match population had the highest prevalence of individuals with high MMEs (n = 664/1 910 741 [3.11%]). Prevalence of arrests and deaths were highest for the approximate match population compared with the exact match populations. Model performance was comparable across the 3 matching algorithms (exact-basic validation area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC]: 0.854; approximate validation AUC: 0.847; exact + zip validation AUC: 0.826) but resulted in different cutoff points balancing sensitivity and specificity.
Conclusions
Our study illustrates the specific tradeoffs of different matching methods. Further research should be performed to compare matching algorithms and its impact on the prevalence of key risk indicators in an applied setting that can improve understanding of risk within a population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey M Ferris
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- The Chesapeake Regional Information System for our Patients, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jonathan P Weiner
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Johns Hopkins Center for Population Health Information Technology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Brendan Saloner
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Hadi Kharrazi
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Johns Hopkins Center for Population Health Information Technology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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13
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Laine R, Myrskylä M, Kaskela T, Pitkänen T. Imprisonment, community sanctions and mortality by cause of death among patients with substance use disorder - a 28-year follow-up using Finnish register data. Drug Alcohol Depend 2022; 232:109327. [PMID: 35123360 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The first few weeks' post-imprisonment are associated with high mortality, particularly among individuals with a history of substance use. Excess risk may vary by societal context due to a range of penal systems and substance use patterns. Using data on Finnish individuals who had sought treatment for substance use, we studied the association between criminal sanctions with cause-specific mortality. METHODS The database contained 10887 individuals who had sought treatment between 1990 and 2009. Their treatment data were combined with register data on imprisonments and community sanctions and weekly mortality between 1992 and 2015. Mortality was analysed using discrete-time survival models. We controlled for age and sociodemographic factors, and analysed whether education, type of substance used and the type of latest sentence modified the associations. FINDINGS Mortality was high in the first two weeks after sanctions (all-cause odds ratio [OR] 2.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.67-4.07; drug-related deaths OR 8.52, 95% CI 4.64-15.7). Excess risk declined over time (OR after 12 weeks: 1.19, 95% CI 1.07-1.31). Most of the excess risk was attributable to external causes. Mortality was low during imprisonment, but not during community sanctions. The patterns were similar by level of education, substance use and the type of latest sentence. CONCLUSIONS Community sanctions were not associated with mortality among people with substance use disorders. Mortality was low during imprisonment, but high post-release. Criminal sanctions should be better utilised as intervention touchpoints and follow-up resources should target prisoners with substance use treatment history to reduce post-release mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riku Laine
- Centre for Social Data Science, University of Helsinki, Unioninkatu 37 (P.O. Box 54), 00014, Finland; A-Clinic Foundation, Ratamestarinkatu 7A, 00520 Helsinki, Finland; Finnish Youth Research Society, Kumpulantie 3, 00520 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Mikko Myrskylä
- Centre for Social Data Science, University of Helsinki, Unioninkatu 37 (P.O. Box 54), 00014, Finland; Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Konrad-Zuse-Str. 1, 18057 Rostock, Germany; Population Research Unit, University of Helsinki, Unioninkatu 37 (P.O. Box 54), 00014, Finland
| | - Teemu Kaskela
- A-Clinic Foundation, Ratamestarinkatu 7A, 00520 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tuuli Pitkänen
- A-Clinic Foundation, Ratamestarinkatu 7A, 00520 Helsinki, Finland; Finnish Youth Research Society, Kumpulantie 3, 00520 Helsinki, Finland
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14
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Flam-Ross JM, Lown J, Patil P, White LF, Wang J, Perry A, Bailer D, McKenzie M, Thigpen A, Newman R, Lincoln M, Mckinney T, Bernson D, Barocas JA. Factors associated with opioid-involved overdose among previously incarcerated people in the U.S.: A community engaged narrative review. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2022; 100:103534. [PMID: 34896932 PMCID: PMC8810696 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND People with a history of incarceration are at high risk for opioid overdose. A variety of factors contribute to this elevated risk though our understanding of these factors is deficient. Research to identify risk and protective factors for overdose is often conducted using administrative data or researcher-derived surveys and without explicit input from people with lived experience. We aimed to understand the scope of U.S. research on factors associated with opioid overdose among previously incarcerated people. We did this by conducting a narrative review of the literature and convening expert panels of people with lived experience. We then categorized these factors using a social determinants of health framework to help contextualize our findings. METHODS We first conducted a narrative review of the published literature. A search was performed using PubMed and APA PsycInfo. We then convened two expert panels consisting of people with lived experience and people who work with people who were previously incarcerated. Experts were asked to evaluate the literature derived factors for completeness and add factors that were not identified. Finally, we categorized factors as either intermediary or structural according to the World Health Organization's Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Framework. RESULTS We identified 13 papers that met our inclusion criteria for the narrative review. Within these 13 papers, we identified 22 relevant factors for their role in the relationship between overdose and people with a history of incarceration, 16 were risk factors and six were protective factors. Five of these were structural factors (three risk and two protective) and 17 were intermediary factors (13 risk and four protective). The expert panels identified 21 additional factors, 10 of which were structural (six risk and four protective) and 11 of which were intermediary (eight risk and three protective). CONCLUSION This narrative review along with expert panels demonstrates a gap in the published literature regarding factors associated with overdose among people who were previously incarcerated. Additionally, this review highlights a substantial gap with regard to the types of factors that are typically identified. Incorporating voices of people with lived experience is crucial to our understanding of overdose in this at-risk population.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Josh Lown
- Boston College School of Social Work (BCSSW)
| | - Prasad Patil
- Boston University School of Public Health, Department of Biostatistics
| | - Laura F. White
- Boston University School of Public Health, Department of Biostatistics
| | - Jianing Wang
- Boston University School of Public Health, Department of Biostatistics
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Meko Lincoln
- Rhode Island Hospital COBRE on Opioids and Overdose
| | | | | | - Joshua A. Barocas
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Divisions of General Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases,Corresponding author: Joshua A. Barocas, MD, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 8th Floor, Academic Office 1, Mailstop B180, 12631 E 17th Ave, Aurora, CO 80045, +1-314-348-3278,
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15
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Appa A, Adamo M, Le S, Davis J, Winston L, Doernberg SB, Chambers H, Martin M, Hills NK, Coffin P, Jain V. Patient-Directed Discharges Among Persons Who Use Drugs Hospitalized with Invasive Staphylococcus aureus Infections: Opportunities for Improvement. Am J Med 2022; 135:91-96. [PMID: 34508704 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2021.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the high burden of Staphylococcus aureus infections among persons who use drugs, limited data exist comparing outcomes of patient-directed discharge (known as discharge against medical advice) compared with standard discharge among persons who use drugs hospitalized with S. aureus infection. METHODS We conducted a retrospective study of hospitalizations among adults with S. aureus bacteremia, endocarditis, epidural abscess, or vertebral osteomyelitis at 2 San Francisco hospitals between 2013 and 2018. We compared odds of 1-year readmission for infection persistence or recurrence and 1-year mortality via multivariable logistic regression models adjusting for age, sex, Charlson comorbidity index, and homelessness. RESULTS Overall, 80 of 340 (24%) of hospitalizations for invasive S. aureus infections among persons who use drugs involved patient-directed discharge. More than half of patient-directed discharges 41 of 80 (51%) required readmission for persistent or recurrent S. aureus infection compared with 54 of 260 (21%) patients without patient-directed discharge (adjusted odds ratio 3.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.2-6.7). One-year cumulative mortality was 15% after patient-directed discharge compared with 11% after standard discharge (P = .02); however, this difference was not significant after adjustment for mortality risk factors. More than half of deaths in the patient-directed discharge group (7 of 12, 58%) were due to drug overdose; none was due to S. aureus infection. CONCLUSIONS Among persons who use drugs hospitalized with invasive S. aureus infection, odds of hospital readmission for infection were almost 4-fold higher following patient-directed discharge compared with standard discharge. All-cause 1-year mortality was similarly high in both groups, and drug overdose was a common cause of death in patient-directed discharge group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayesha Appa
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases & Global Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco.
| | - Meredith Adamo
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco
| | - Stephenie Le
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco
| | - Jennifer Davis
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco
| | - Lisa Winston
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases & Global Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco
| | - Sarah B Doernberg
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco
| | - Henry Chambers
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases & Global Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco
| | - Marlene Martin
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco
| | - Nancy K Hills
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco
| | - Phillip Coffin
- San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, Calif
| | - Vivek Jain
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases & Global Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco
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16
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Cossar RD, Stewart AC, Wilkinson AL, Dietze P, Ogloff JRP, Aitken C, Butler T, Kinner SA, Curtis M, Walker S, Kirwan A, Stoové M. Emergency department presentations in the first weeks following release from prison among men with a history of injecting drug use in Victoria, Australia: A prospective cohort study. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2021; 101:103532. [PMID: 34871944 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Rates of emergency department (ED) use are higher among people released from prison than in the general population. However, little is known about ED presentations specifically among people with a history of injecting drug use (IDU) leaving prison. We measured the incidence of ED presentation in the three months following release from prison, among a cohort of men with histories of IDU, and determined pre-release characteristics associated with presenting to an ED during this period. METHODS We analysed linked survey and administrative data from the Prison and Transition Health (PATH) study (N = 400) using multiple-failure survival analysis. RESULTS Twenty-one percent (n = 81/393) of the cohort presented to an ED at least once within the three months after release from prison. The incidence of ED presentation was highest in the first six days after release. Cox proportional hazards modelling showed that a history of in-patient psychiatric admission and housing instability were associated with increased hazard of an ED presentation, and identifying as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander was associated with decreased hazard. CONCLUSIONS In our study, ED presentations following release from prison among people with a history of IDU was linked to acute health risks related to known mental health and social vulnerabilities in this population. Greater collaboration and systems integration between prison and community health and support services is needed to reduce presentations to ED and associated morbidities among people with a history of IDU after release from prison.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reece David Cossar
- Behaviours and Health Risks, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science, Swinburne University of Technology and Forensicare, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Ashleigh Cara Stewart
- Behaviours and Health Risks, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Anna Lee Wilkinson
- Behaviours and Health Risks, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science, Swinburne University of Technology and Forensicare, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Paul Dietze
- Behaviours and Health Risks, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - James R P Ogloff
- Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science, Swinburne University of Technology and Forensicare, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Campbell Aitken
- Behaviours and Health Risks, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Tony Butler
- The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Stuart A Kinner
- Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Justice Health Unit, Centre for Health Equity, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; Mater Research Institute-UQ, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Michael Curtis
- Behaviours and Health Risks, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Monash Addiction Research Centre, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Shelley Walker
- Behaviours and Health Risks, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Amy Kirwan
- Behaviours and Health Risks, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Mark Stoové
- Behaviours and Health Risks, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Prevalence and risk factors for opioid related mortality among probation clients in an American city. J Subst Abuse Treat 2021; 137:108712. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Mantha S, Nolan ML, Harocopos A, Paone D. Racial disparities in criminal legal system involvement among New York City overdose decedents: Implications for diversion programs. Drug Alcohol Depend 2021; 226:108867. [PMID: 34216870 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.108867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Past studies have identified frequent criminal legal system (CLS) involvement among overdose decedents and highlight the need for connecting individuals at risk of overdose with effective interventions during CLS encounters. While some programs divert individuals at risk of overdose to treatment during CLS encounters, eligibility is frequently restricted to those with limited prior CLS involvement. However, differences by race/ethnicity have not been examined. OBJECTIVE We assessed racial disparities in CLS involvement and eligibility for diversion following arrest for misdemeanor drug possession among New York City (NYC) overdose decedents. METHODS We matched death certificates for 5018 NYC residents who died of an unintentional drug overdose between 2008 and 2015 with CLS data and compared CLS involvement by race/ethnicity. We compared prior felony involvement at the first misdemeanor drug arrest by race/ethnicity among 2719 decedents with at least one misdemeanor drug arrest. RESULTS Higher proportions of Black (86 %, 95 % CI: 83.9, 87.9) and Latino (84 %, 95 % CI: 82.2, 86.0) decedents had ever been arrested than White decedents (73 %, 95 % CI: 71.5, 75.2). At the first misdemeanor drug arrest, Black and Latino decedents were twice as likely as White decedents to have a prior felony conviction, adjusted for age at arrest and gender (RR = 2.08, 95 % CI: 1.71, 2.54 and 2.14, 95 % CI: 1.77, 2.59, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Given racial disparities in CLS involvement among NYC overdose decedents, diversion eligibility is inequitable by race/ethnicity. Diversion programs that restrict eligibility based on prior CLS involvement will have racially disparate effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivani Mantha
- NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Use Prevention, Care, and Treatment, 42-09 28th St, Long Island City, NY, 11101, USA.
| | - Michelle L Nolan
- NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Use Prevention, Care, and Treatment, 42-09 28th St, Long Island City, NY, 11101, USA
| | - Alex Harocopos
- NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Use Prevention, Care, and Treatment, 42-09 28th St, Long Island City, NY, 11101, USA
| | - Denise Paone
- NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Use Prevention, Care, and Treatment, 42-09 28th St, Long Island City, NY, 11101, USA
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Krawczyk N, Williams AR, Saloner B, Cerdá M. Who stays in medication treatment for opioid use disorder? A national study of outpatient specialty treatment settings. J Subst Abuse Treat 2021; 126:108329. [PMID: 34116820 PMCID: PMC8197774 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maintenance treatments with medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) are highly effective at reducing overdose risk while patients remain in care. However, few patients initiate medication and retention remains a critical challenge across settings. Much remains to be learned about individual and structural factors that influence successful retention, especially among populations dispensed MOUD in outpatient settings. METHODS We examined individual and structural characteristics associated with MOUD treatment retention among a national sample of adults seeking MOUD treatment in outpatient substance use treatment settings using the 2017 Treatment Episode Dataset-Discharges (TEDS-D). The study assessed predictors of retention in MOUD using multivariate logistic regression and accelerated time failure models. RESULTS Of 130,300 episodes of MOUD treatment in outpatient settings, 36% involved a duration of care greater than six months. The strongest risk factors for treatment discontinuation by six months included being of younger age, ages 18-29 ((OR):0.52 [95%CI:0.50-0.54]) or 30-39 (OR:0.57 [95%CI:0.55-0.59); experiencing homelessness (OR: 0.70 [95%CI:0.66-0.73]); co-using methamphetamine (OR:0.48 [95%CI:0.45-0.51]); and being referred to treatment by a criminal justice source (OR:0.55 [95%CI:0.52-0.59) or by a school, employer, or community source (OR:0.71 [95%CI:0.66-0.76). CONCLUSIONS Improving retention in treatment is a pivotal stage in the OUD cascade of care and is critical to reducing overdose deaths. Efforts should prioritize interventions to improve retention among patients who are both prescribed and dispended MOUD, especially youth, people experiencing homelessness, polysubstance users, and people referred to care by the justice system who have especially short stays in care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noa Krawczyk
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, United States of America.
| | - Arthur Robin Williams
- Columbia University Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, United States of America
| | - Brendan Saloner
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, United States of America
| | - Magdalena Cerdá
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, United States of America
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Cerdá M, Krawczyk N, Hamilton L, Rudolph KE, Friedman SR, Keyes KM. A Critical Review of the Social and Behavioral Contributions to the Overdose Epidemic. Annu Rev Public Health 2021; 42:95-114. [PMID: 33256535 PMCID: PMC8675278 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-090419-102727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
More than 750,000 people in the United States died from an overdose between 1999 and 2018; two-thirds of those deaths involved an opioid. In this review, we present trends in opioid overdose rates during this period and discuss how the proliferation of opioid prescribing to treat chronic pain, changes in the heroin and illegally manufactured opioid synthetics markets, and social factors, including deindustrialization and concentrated poverty, contributed to the rise of the overdose epidemic. We also examine how current policies implemented to address the overdose epidemic may have contributed to reducing prescription opioid overdoses but increased overdoses involving illegal opioids. Finally, we identify new directions for research to understand the causes and solutions to this critical public health problem, including research on heterogeneous policy effects across social groups, effective approaches to reduce overdoses of illegal opioids, and the role of social contexts in shaping policy implementation and impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Cerdá
- Center for Opioid Epidemiology and Policy, Department of Population Health, Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA; , , ,
| | - Noa Krawczyk
- Center for Opioid Epidemiology and Policy, Department of Population Health, Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA; , , ,
| | - Leah Hamilton
- Center for Opioid Epidemiology and Policy, Department of Population Health, Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA; , , ,
| | - Kara E Rudolph
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; ,
| | - Samuel R Friedman
- Center for Opioid Epidemiology and Policy, Department of Population Health, Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA; , , ,
| | - Katherine M Keyes
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; ,
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21
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Integrating human services and criminal justice data with claims data to predict risk of opioid overdose among Medicaid beneficiaries: A machine-learning approach. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0248360. [PMID: 33735222 PMCID: PMC7971495 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Health system data incompletely capture the social risk factors for drug overdose. This study aimed to improve the accuracy of a machine-learning algorithm to predict opioid overdose risk by integrating human services and criminal justice data with health claims data to capture the social determinants of overdose risk. This prognostic study included Medicaid beneficiaries (n = 237,259) in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania enrolled between 2015 and 2018, randomly divided into training, testing, and validation samples. We measured 290 potential predictors (239 derived from Medicaid claims data) in 30-day periods, beginning with the first observed Medicaid enrollment date during the study period. Using a gradient boosting machine, we predicted a composite outcome (i.e., fatal or nonfatal opioid overdose constructed using medical examiner and claims data) in the subsequent month. We compared prediction performance between a Medicaid claims only model to one integrating human services and criminal justice data with Medicaid claims (i.e., integrated model) using several metrics (e.g., C-statistic, number needed to evaluate [NNE] to identify one overdose). Beneficiaries were stratified into risk-score decile subgroups. The samples (training = 79,087, testing = 79,086, validation = 79,086) had similar characteristics (age = 38±18 years, female = 56%, white = 48%, having at least one overdose = 1.7% during study period). Using the validation sample, the integrated model slightly improved on the Medicaid claims only model (C-statistic = 0.885; 95%CI = 0.877–0.892 vs. C-statistic = 0.871; 95%CI = 0.863–0.878), with small corresponding improvements in the NNE and positive predictive value. Nine of the top 30 most important predictors in the integrated model were human services and criminal justice variables. Using the integrated model, approximately 70% of individuals with overdoses were members of the top risk decile (overdose rates in the subsequent month = 47/10,000 beneficiaries). Few individuals in the bottom 9 deciles had overdose episodes (0-12/10,000). Machine-learning algorithms integrating claims and social service and criminal justice data modestly improved opioid overdose prediction among Medicaid beneficiaries for a large U.S. county heavily affected by the opioid crisis.
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Victor GA, Bailey K, Ray B. Buprenorphine Treatment Intake and Critical Encounters following a Nonfatal Opioid Overdose. Subst Use Misuse 2021; 56:988-996. [PMID: 33749520 DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2021.1901933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with prior opioid-related overdose events have an increased risk for opioid-related mortality. Buprenorphine is a partial agonist that has shown to be an effective medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD). Yet, few studies have investigated whether buprenorphine reduces the risk of opioid-related mortality following a nonfatal opioid-related overdose. METHODS A retrospective study was conducted on all overdose cases in Indiana between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017. Data were linked from multiple administrative sources. Cases were linked to vital records to assess mortality. Bivariate analyses were conducted to assess group differences between survivors and decedents. A series of multiple logistic regression models were used to determine main and interaction effects of opioid-related mortality. RESULTS Among the 10,195 nonfatal overdoses, 2.4% (247) resulted in a subsequent fatal overdose. Overdose decedents were on average 36.4 years-old, 66.8% male, 91.1% White, and 83.8% did not receive a buprenorphine dispensation. Incremental increases in the number of buprenorphine dispensations decreased the likelihood of fatal overdose by 94% (95% CI = 0.88-0.98, p = .001). Incremental increases in arrest encounters were found to significantly increase the likelihood of a fatal overdose (AOR = 2.16; 95% CI = 1.13-3.55). Arrest encounters were a significant moderator of the relationship between buprenorphine uptake effectiveness and drug-related mortality. CONCLUSIONS Analysis of linked data provided details of risk and protective factors of fatal overdose. Buprenorphine reduced the risk of death; however, criminal justice involvement remains an area of attention for diversion and overdose death prevention interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant A Victor
- Center for Behavioral Health and Justice, School of Social Work, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Katie Bailey
- Center for Behavioral Health and Justice, School of Social Work, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Brad Ray
- Center for Behavioral Health and Justice, School of Social Work, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
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