TY - JOUR
T1 - Fentanyl Overdose Concerns Among People Who Inject Drugs
T2 - The Role of Sex, Racial Minority Status, and Overdose Prevention Efforts
AU - Jones, Abenaa Acheampong
AU - Schneider, Kristin E.
AU - Mahlobo, Christa T.
AU - Maggs, Jennifer L.
AU - Dayton, Lauren
AU - Tobin, Karin E.
AU - Latkin, Carl A.
N1 - Funding Information:
Christa T. Mahlobo played supporting role in writing of original draft and writing of review and editing. Jennifer L. Maggs played supporting role in writing of review and editing. Lauren Dayton played supporting role in writing of review and editing. Karin E. Tobin played lead role in conceptualization, funding acquisition, investigation, project administration and resources and supporting role in supervision and writing of review and editing. Carl A. Latkin played lead role in conceptualization, funding acquisition, investigation and supervision and supporting role in writing of review and editing
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 American Psychological Association
PY - 2022/5/5
Y1 - 2022/5/5
N2 - Objective: 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.
AB - Objective: 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.
KW - fentanyl
KW - overdose
KW - race
KW - substance use
KW - women
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85130618782&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/adb0000834
DO - 10.1037/adb0000834
M3 - Article
C2 - 35511529
AN - SCOPUS:85130618782
SN - 0893-164X
VL - 37
SP - 191
EP - 198
JO - Psychology of Addictive Behaviors
JF - Psychology of Addictive Behaviors
IS - 2
ER -