Opioid-stimulant trends in overdose toxicology by race, ethnicity, & gender: An analysis in Delaware, 2013–2019
Date
2022-08-16
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse
Abstract
Recent upticks of stimulant presence in overdose deaths suggest the opioid epidemic is morphing, which raises questions about what drugs are involved and who is impacted. We investigate annual and growth rate trends in combined opioid-stimulant overdose toxicology between 2013 and 2019 for White, Black, and Hispanic male and female decedents in Delaware. During these years, toxicology shifted to illegal drugs for all with fentanyl leading the increase and opioid-cocaine combinations rising substantially. While combined opioid-cocaine toxicology grew among Black and Hispanic Delawareans, White males continue to report the highest rates overall. These findings depart from historical patterns and may challenge existing opioid epidemic policies.
Description
This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse on 8/16/2022, available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/15332640.2022.2109790. This article will be embargoed until 8/16/2023.
Keywords
opioids, cocaine, race, gender, overdose trends
Citation
Andrew C. Gray, Logan Neitzke-Spruill, Cresean Hughes, Daniel J. O’Connell & Tammy L. Anderson (2022) Opioid-stimulant trends in overdose toxicology by race, ethnicity, & gender: An analysis in Delaware, 2013–2019, Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse, DOI: 10.1080/15332640.2022.2109790