Disparities in fatal and non-fatal opioid-involved overdoses among middle-aged non-Hispanic Black Men and Women

AbstractThe gap in fatal opioid overdose rates has been closing between non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White individuals. The rising opioid-involved mortality rates among non-Hispanic Black adults has been identified by SAMHSA as a critical public health issue. However, further research is needed that utilizes comprehensive surveillance data on both fatal and non-fatal opioid-involved overdoses to better assess the changing trends and evaluate factors contributing to changing disparities. We conducted an analysis of medical examiner and hospital data for years 2016 –2021 from the largest county in Illinois (Cook) to (1) evaluate disparities in non-fatal and fatal opioid-involved overdoses between middle-aged non-Hispanic Black adults and Black adults of other age groups stratified by sex, (2) to assess if disparities exist across middle-aged adults of differ ent race-ethnicities specifically non-Hispanic White and Hispanic-Latino adults, and (3) evaluate factors contributing to the disparities. Fatal opioid overdose rates among middle-aged Black men 45–64 years old were on average 5.3 times higher than Black men of other age groups, and 6.2 times high er than middle-aged non-Black men. Similarly, fatal opioid overdose rates among middle-aged Black women were on average 5.0 times higher than Black women of other age groups, and 4.9 times higher than middle-aged non-Black women. Hospital utilization rates for opioid-involved overdoses showed simila r disparities betwee...
Source: Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research