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

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Abstract

The 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 different 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 higher 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 similar disparities between age groups and race-ethnicities. Findings indicate that stark disparities in rates of opioid-involved overdoses among middle-aged Black men and women are likely attributed to exposure to more lethal opioids, drug variability in local markets, differences in concurrent drug exposures, and lower access to harm reduction, emergent and preventative health services.

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Data Availability

All medical examiner data are publicly available at https://datacatalog.cookcountyil.gov. The hospital data are restricted access and requires a data use agreement. The authors will provide aggregated hospital data upon request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Lee S. Friedman & Chibuzor Abasilim

  2. Cook County Department of Public Health, Chicago, IL, USA

    Lydia Karch & Alfreda Holloway-Beth

  3. Department of Public Health, Chicago, IL, USA

    Wilnise Jasmin

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Friedman, L.S., Abasilim, C., Karch, L. et al. Disparities in fatal and non-fatal opioid-involved overdoses among middle-aged non-Hispanic Black Men and Women. J. Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-023-01877-y

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