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Nonfatal opioid overdoses before and after Covid-19: Regional variation in rates of change.
Burgess-Hull, Albert J; Smith, Kirsten E; Panlilio, Leigh V; Schriefer, Destiny; Preston, Kenzie L; Alter, Aliese; Yeager, Christopher; Chizmar, Timothy; Delbridge, Ted; Zamore, Kenan; Beeson, Jeff; Epstein, David H.
  • Burgess-Hull AJ; National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
  • Smith KE; National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
  • Panlilio LV; National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
  • Schriefer D; National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
  • Preston KL; National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
  • Alter A; Office of National Drug Control Policy, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Washington, DC, United States of America.
  • Yeager C; Office of National Drug Control Policy, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Washington, DC, United States of America.
  • Chizmar T; Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS), Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
  • Delbridge T; Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS), Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
  • Zamore K; District of Columbia Department of Health, Washington, DC, United States of America.
  • Beeson J; Office of National Drug Control Policy, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Washington, DC, United States of America.
  • Epstein DH; National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
PLoS One ; 17(3): e0263893, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1896444
ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

The Covid-19 pandemic and its accompanying public-health orders (PHOs) have led to (potentially countervailing) changes in various risk factors for overdose. To assess whether the net effects of these factors varied geographically, we examined regional variation in the impact of the PHOs on counts of nonfatal overdoses, which have received less attention than fatal overdoses, despite their public health significance.

METHODS:

Data were collected from the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP), which recorded suspected overdoses between July 1, 2018 and October 25, 2020. We used segmented regression models to assess the impact of PHOs on nonfatal-overdose trends in Washington DC and the five geographical regions of Maryland, using a historical control time series to adjust for normative changes in overdoses that occurred around mid-March (when the PHOs were issued).

RESULTS:

The mean level change in nonfatal opioid overdoses immediately after mid-March was not reliably different in the Covid-19 year versus the preceding control time series for any region. However, the rate of increase in nonfatal overdose was steeper after mid-March in the Covid-19 year versus the preceding year for Maryland as a whole (B = 2.36; 95% CI, 0.65 to 4.06; p = .007) and for certain subregions. No differences were observed for Washington DC.

CONCLUSIONS:

The pandemic and its accompanying PHOs were associated with steeper increases in nonfatal opioid overdoses in most but not all of the regions we assessed, with a net effect that was deleterious for the Maryland region as a whole.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Opiate Overdose / COVID-19 Type of study: Experimental Studies / Observational study / Prognostic study Limits: Humans Country/Region as subject: North America Language: English Journal: PLoS One Journal subject: Science / Medicine Year: 2022 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Journal.pone.0263893

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Opiate Overdose / COVID-19 Type of study: Experimental Studies / Observational study / Prognostic study Limits: Humans Country/Region as subject: North America Language: English Journal: PLoS One Journal subject: Science / Medicine Year: 2022 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Journal.pone.0263893