Abstract

Background: Fatal overdoses involving prescription opioids have increased significantly in recent years in the United States - especially in rural areas. However, there are scant data about non-fatal overdose among rural drug users. The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence and correlates of non-fatal overdose and witnessed overdose among rural Appalachian drug users. Methods: Rural drug users were participants in a longitudinal study of social networks and HIV transmission. An interviewer-administered questionnaire elicited information in the following domains: sociodemographic characteristics, drug use (including lifetime overdose and witnessed overdose), psychiatric disorders, HIV risk behaviors and social networks (support, drug and sex networks). Negative binomial regression was used to model the number of lifetime overdoses and witnessed overdoses. Results: Of the 400 participants, 28% had ever experienced a non-fatal overdose, while 58.2% had ever witnessed an overdose (fatal or non-fatal). Factors independently associated with a greater number of overdoses included having ever been in drug treatment, past 30-day injection of prescription opioids, meeting the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder and/or antisocial personality disorder and having more members in one's support network. Conclusions: Rural drug users with history of overdose were more likely to have injected with prescription opioids - which is different from urban heroin users. However, the remaining correlates of non-fatal overdose among this cohort of rural drug users were similar to those of urban heroin users, which suggests current overdose prevention strategies employed in urban settings may be effective in preventing fatal overdose in this population.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)107-112
Number of pages6
JournalDrug and Alcohol Dependence
Volume115
Issue number1-2
DOIs
StatePublished - May 1 2011

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Funding for this study was provided by NIDA Grant R01-DA024598 and R01-DA021627 . NIDA had no further role in study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the paper for publication.

Keywords

  • Non-fatal overdose
  • Prescription drug use
  • Rural
  • Social networks
  • Witnessed overdose

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Toxicology
  • Pharmacology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health
  • Pharmacology (medical)

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