Fentanyl overdose concerns among people who inject drugs: The role of sex, racial minority status, and overdose prevention efforts.
Psychol Addict Behav
; 37(2): 191-198, 2023 Mar.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-35511529
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
People who inject drugs (PWID) have an elevated risk of fentanyl-related overdoses. This study explores fentanyl overdose concerns among PWID and the role of sex, racial minority status, and overdose prevention efforts in these concerns.METHOD:
Data were from 498 PWID from Baltimore City, MD, recruited using street-based outreach between 2016 and 2019. Multinomial logistic regressions assessed correlates of participants' level of concern for themselves and their peers overdosing from fentanyl.RESULTS:
A third of participants were female, half were Black, over two-thirds perceived fentanyl to be in all/most of heroin, 40% expressed low fentanyl overdose concern, and a third overdosed in the past 6 months. After controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, female sex was associated with being very concerned about fentanyl overdoses for oneself (adjusted relative risk [aRR] 2.13; 95% CI 1.22, 3.72) and peers (aRR 1.98; 95% CI 1.14, 3.45). Compared to Black participants, White participants were less likely to be very concerned about fentanyl overdoses for themselves (aRR 0.35; 95% CI 0.19, 0.65). Participants who often/always carried naloxone (aRR 2.91; 95% CI 1.42, 5.95) perceived fentanyl in most heroin (aRR 2.78; 95% CI 1.29, 5.97) or were on medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) (quite a bit concerned aRR 2.18; 95% CI 1.28, 3.69; very concerned aRR 1.96; 95% CI 1.19, 3.22) were more likely than their counterparts to report being concerned for their peers, but not for themselves.CONCLUSION:
Female sex and racial minority status were associated with greater concern regarding fentanyl overdoses for oneself. Increasing overdose deaths in these populations suggests disparate access to harm-reduction initiatives rather than interest or concern. Furthermore, findings on naloxone, MOUD, and concerns for peers support social network-based interventions among PWID. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Substance Abuse, Intravenous
/
Drug Users
/
Drug Overdose
/
Opioid-Related Disorders
Type of study:
Etiology_studies
Limits:
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Journal:
Psychol Addict Behav
Journal subject:
PSICOLOGIA
/
TRANSTORNOS RELACIONADOS COM SUBSTANCIAS
Year:
2023
Document type:
Article