Prescription Opioid Diversion Sources Among African Americans
Implications for Overdose Prevention
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21645144 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Khary K Riggs (0000-0002-1714-5834, University of South Florida, corresponding author), Khary K Rigg (University of South Florida) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 59 |
| Issue | 8 |
| Pages | 1271-1274 |
| Publication date | 2024-07-02 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Substance Use & Misuse (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1082-6084 • E-ISSN: 1532-2491 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/10826084.2024.2330901 |
| PMID | 38501692 |
| OpenAlex | W4392954568 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 16 |
Recent data show that African Americans (AAs) experienced a greater increase in overdose deaths involving prescription opioids relative to other racial/ethnic groups. One possible mechanism through which elevated risk for overdose is conferred to AAs could be due to greater exposure to contaminated counterfeit pills. Unfortunately, prescription opioid diversion is understudied among AAs and less is known regarding which sources AAs use to access pharmaceutical opioids. The objective of this study, therefore, was to identify and describe the most commonly used diversion sources for prescription opioids among AAs. Qualitative interview data are also presented to contextualize the most prevalent sources. This study used data from the Florida Minority Health Study, a mixed-methods project that included online surveys (n = 303) and qualitative in-depth interviews (n = 30) of AAs. Data collection was conducted from August 2021 to February 2022 throughout Southwest Florida. Analyses revealed that the most widely used sources for prescription opioids were dealers (33.0%) and friends/relatives (34.7%). Additionally, interview data indicated that dealers are the access point where larger volume acquisitions are made and high potency formulations are accessed. These findings suggest that AAs may utilize nonhealthcare related sources at higher rates than healthcare related sources to acquire prescription opioids. This is concerning because opioid pills acquired through nonhealthcare related sources are especially susceptible to fentanyl adulteration. These findings invite further study using nationally representative data to determine if AAs disproportionately use nonhealthcare related sources compared to persons from other racial/ethnic groups
Drug overdose · Environmental health · Ethnic group · Family medicine · Heroin · Medical prescription · Opioid · Opioid overdose · Pill · Poison control · Psychiatry · Psychological intervention · Medicine · Opioid Use Disorder Treatment · Poisoning and overdose treatments · Prenatal Substance Exposure Effects · Internal Medicine · Pharmacology
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Age-specific disparities in fatal drug overdoses highest among older black adults and American Indian/Alaska native individuals of all ages in the United States, 2015-2020
| Highly cited | No |
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