Evaluating disparities in prescribing of naloxone after emergency department treatment of opioid overdose

Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved..

INTRODUCTION: Patients who initially survive opioid-related overdose are at high risk for subsequent mortality. Our health system aimed to evaluate the presence of disparities in prescribing naloxone following opioid overdose.

METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients seen in our health system, which comprises two academic centers and eight community hospitals. Eligible patients had at least one visit to any of our hospital's emergency departments (EDs) with a diagnosis code indicating opioid-related overdose between May 1, 2018, and April 30, 2021. The primary outcome measure was prescription of nasal naloxone after at least one visit for opioid-related overdose during the study period.

RESULTS: The health system had 1348 unique patients who presented 1593 times to at least one of the EDs with opioid overdose. Of included patients, 580 (43.2%) received one or more prescriptions for naloxone. The majority (68.9%, n = 925) were male. For race/ethnicity, 74.5% (1000) were Non-Hispanic White, 8.0% (n = 108) were Non-Hispanic Black, and 13.0% (n = 175) were Hispanic/Latinx. Compared with the reference age group of 16-24 years, only those 65+ were less likely to receive naloxone (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.41, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.20-0.84). The study found no difference for gender (male aOR 1.23, 95% CI 0.97-1.57 compared to female). Hispanic/Latinx patients were more likely to receive a prescription when compared to Non-Hispanic White patients (aOR 1.72, 95% CI 1.22-2.44), while no difference occurred between Non-Hispanic Black compared to Non-Hispanic White patients (aOR 1.31, 95% CI 0.87-1.98).

CONCLUSIONS: Naloxone prescribing after overdose in our system was suboptimal, with fewer than half of patients with an overdose diagnosis code receiving this lifesaving and evidence-based intervention. Patients who were Hispanic/Latinx were more likely to receive naloxone than other race and ethnicity groups, and patients who were older were less likely to receive it. Health systems need ongoing equity-informed implementation of programs to expand access to naloxone to all patients at risk.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2022

Erschienen:

2022

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:139

Enthalten in:

Journal of substance abuse treatment - 139(2022) vom: 11. Aug., Seite 108785

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Weiner, Scott G [VerfasserIn]
Carroll, Aleta D [VerfasserIn]
Brisbon, Nicholas M [VerfasserIn]
Rodriguez, Claudia P [VerfasserIn]
Covahey, Charles [VerfasserIn]
Stringfellow, Erin J [VerfasserIn]
DiGennaro, Catherine [VerfasserIn]
Jalali, Mohammad S [VerfasserIn]
Wakeman, Sarah E [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

36B82AMQ7N
Analgesics, Opioid
Disparities
Journal Article
Naloxone
Narcotic Antagonists
Opioid overdose
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 13.06.2022

Date Revised 02.08.2023

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1016/j.jsat.2022.108785

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM340661194