Concurrent use of opioids and stimulants and risk of fatal overdose: A cohort study
Abstract Background Stimulant use has been rising among people with opioid use disorder in recent years in North America, alongside a parallel rise in illicit drug toxicity (overdose) deaths. This study aimed to examine the association between stimulant use and overdose mortality. Methods Data from...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-11-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14506-w |
| _version_ | 1811217059299721216 |
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| author | Heather Palis Chloé Xavier Sabina Dobrer Roshni Desai Kali-olt Sedgemore Marnie Scow Kurt Lock Wenqi Gan Amanda Slaunwhite |
| author_facet | Heather Palis Chloé Xavier Sabina Dobrer Roshni Desai Kali-olt Sedgemore Marnie Scow Kurt Lock Wenqi Gan Amanda Slaunwhite |
| author_sort | Heather Palis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Stimulant use has been rising among people with opioid use disorder in recent years in North America, alongside a parallel rise in illicit drug toxicity (overdose) deaths. This study aimed to examine the association between stimulant use and overdose mortality. Methods Data from a universal health insurance client roster were used to identify a 20% random general population sample (aged ≥12) in British Columbia, Canada between January 1 2015 and December 31 2018 (N = 1,089,682). Provincial health records were used to identify people who used opioids and/or stimulants. Fatal overdose observed during follow-up (January 12,015- December 312,018) was retrieved from Vital Statistics Death Registry and BC Coroners Service Data. Potential confounders including age, sex, health region, comorbidities and prescribed medications were retrieved from the provincial client roster and health records. Results We identified 7460 people who used stimulants and or opioids. During follow-up there were 272 fatal overdose events. People who used both opioids and stimulants had more than twice the hazard of fatal overdose (HR: 2.02, 95% CI: 1.47-2.78, p < 0.001) compared to people who used opioids only. The hazard of death increased over time among people who used both opioids and stimulants. Conclusions There is an urgent need to prioritize the service needs of people who use stimulants to reduce overdose mortality in British Columbia. Findings have relevance more broadly in other North American settings, where similar trends in opioid and stimulant polysubstance use have been observed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T06:47:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-200c51400f3841cca24832795ae3fe04 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T06:47:50Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-200c51400f3841cca24832795ae3fe042022-12-22T03:43:27ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582022-11-0122111010.1186/s12889-022-14506-wConcurrent use of opioids and stimulants and risk of fatal overdose: A cohort studyHeather Palis0Chloé Xavier1Sabina Dobrer2Roshni Desai3Kali-olt Sedgemore4Marnie Scow5Kurt Lock6Wenqi Gan7Amanda Slaunwhite8BC Centre for Disease ControlBC Centre for Disease ControlBC Centre for Disease ControlBC Centre for Disease ControlBC Centre for Disease ControlBC Centre for Disease ControlBC Centre for Disease ControlBC Centre for Disease ControlBC Centre for Disease ControlAbstract Background Stimulant use has been rising among people with opioid use disorder in recent years in North America, alongside a parallel rise in illicit drug toxicity (overdose) deaths. This study aimed to examine the association between stimulant use and overdose mortality. Methods Data from a universal health insurance client roster were used to identify a 20% random general population sample (aged ≥12) in British Columbia, Canada between January 1 2015 and December 31 2018 (N = 1,089,682). Provincial health records were used to identify people who used opioids and/or stimulants. Fatal overdose observed during follow-up (January 12,015- December 312,018) was retrieved from Vital Statistics Death Registry and BC Coroners Service Data. Potential confounders including age, sex, health region, comorbidities and prescribed medications were retrieved from the provincial client roster and health records. Results We identified 7460 people who used stimulants and or opioids. During follow-up there were 272 fatal overdose events. People who used both opioids and stimulants had more than twice the hazard of fatal overdose (HR: 2.02, 95% CI: 1.47-2.78, p < 0.001) compared to people who used opioids only. The hazard of death increased over time among people who used both opioids and stimulants. Conclusions There is an urgent need to prioritize the service needs of people who use stimulants to reduce overdose mortality in British Columbia. Findings have relevance more broadly in other North American settings, where similar trends in opioid and stimulant polysubstance use have been observed.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14506-wOpioid useStimulant useConcurrent substance useOverdoseFatal overdoseCohort study |
| spellingShingle | Heather Palis Chloé Xavier Sabina Dobrer Roshni Desai Kali-olt Sedgemore Marnie Scow Kurt Lock Wenqi Gan Amanda Slaunwhite Concurrent use of opioids and stimulants and risk of fatal overdose: A cohort study BMC Public Health Opioid use Stimulant use Concurrent substance use Overdose Fatal overdose Cohort study |
| title | Concurrent use of opioids and stimulants and risk of fatal overdose: A cohort study |
| title_full | Concurrent use of opioids and stimulants and risk of fatal overdose: A cohort study |
| title_fullStr | Concurrent use of opioids and stimulants and risk of fatal overdose: A cohort study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Concurrent use of opioids and stimulants and risk of fatal overdose: A cohort study |
| title_short | Concurrent use of opioids and stimulants and risk of fatal overdose: A cohort study |
| title_sort | concurrent use of opioids and stimulants and risk of fatal overdose a cohort study |
| topic | Opioid use Stimulant use Concurrent substance use Overdose Fatal overdose Cohort study |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14506-w |
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