Willingness to Use Wearable Devices for Overdose Detection and Response
A Cross-Sectional Survey of People Who Use Drugs in Rural Appalachian Kentucky
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21645296 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Huai-yu Chen (0000-0002-6150-2501, University of Kentucky), Susan Westneat (University of Kentucky), April M Young (0000-0003-3969-3249, University of Kentucky, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 60 |
| Issue | 14 |
| Pages | 2299-2305 |
| Publication date | 2025-12-06 |
| 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 | 10.1080/10826084.2025.2538730 |
| PMID | 40760774 |
| OpenAlex | W4412950101 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 35 |
Background Wearable devices with biosensors that can detect opioid overdoses and alert first responders are already available. Devices capable of injecting naloxone are currently in development. Yet, little is known about whether people who use drugs (PWUD) are willing to wear these devices. This study examines the willingness to wear an overdose detection and response wristband among PWUD in rural Appalachian Kentucky.Method Rural PWUD were recruited through respondent-driven sampling and outreach from 2018 to 2020. Eligibility criteria included being at least age 18, a five-county resident, and having used opioids/injected drugs in the past 30 days. Respondents completed interviewer-administered questionnaires on demographics, behaviors, and willingness to wear wristbands for alerting emergency responders or administering naloxone. Log-binomial regression was used to identify correlates to willingness to wear these devices.Results Of the 154 respondents included in the analysis, most reported being willing to wear a wristband that would detect an overdose and alert emergency responders or would detect an overdose and inject naloxone (77.9%). Men were less likely to use a first-responder alert device than women (PR = 0.79, 95% CI [0.67, 0.93], p = .005), while those with internet access (PR = 0.81, 95% CI [0.70, 0.94], p = .004) and less than a high school education (PR =1.32, 95% CI [1.08, 1.61], p = .008) were more likely to use a naloxone auto-injector.Conclusion This study is the first to assess willingness among rural PWUD to use wearable overdose detection and response devices, finding broad acceptance but significant differences by gender, education, and internet access
Appalachia · Appalachian Region · Cross-sectional study · Environmental health · Geography · Wearable computer · Engineering · HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk · Medicine · Opioid Use Disorder Treatment · Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
Exposing some important barriers to health care access in the rural USA
Barriers to utilizing substance use disorder treatment and harm reduction services in Appalachia
What impacts the acceptability of wearable devices that detect opioid overdose in people who use opioids? A qualitative study
That's why people don't call 911”
The impact of rurality on opioid-related harms
| Highly cited | No |
|---|