Bystander Presence and Response During Accidental and Undetermined Drug Overdose Deaths: Rhode Island, January 1, 2016-December 31, 2021.

With timely intervention from a bystander, drug overdose victims are more likely to survive. To characterize the frequency of bystander presence and identify overdose response barriers, we analyzed data from overdose fatalities occurring in Rhode Island from 2016 to 2021. Overall, about half (n=1,039; 48.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Accidental and Undetermined Drug Overdose Deaths - Rhode Island, 2016-2021.

Background: Over the last 21 years, drug overdose deaths have increased nationwide, particularly in Rhode Island (RI). The goal of this work is to identify populations that are disproportionately impacted by accidental drug overdose deaths to guide future intervention efforts.  Methods: We obtained data on accidental and undetermined drug overdose deaths from the RI State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS) database from 2016 to 2021.

Controlled Substance Prescription History among Individuals Who Died of an Accidental Opioid-Involved Drug Overdose in Rhode Island.

Accidental opioid-involved overdose deaths are increasing nationally in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is unclear if this reflects a change in populations most at risk. To determine whether the demographic characteristics and controlled substance prescription history of accidental opioid-involved drug overdose decedents in 2020 differed from prior years. We identified accidental opioid-involved overdose decedents using Rhode Island (RI) State Medical Examiner's Office data.

Insights from biosurveillance: non-fatal opioid overdoses in Rhode Island 2019-21.

Background And Aims: Opioids biosurveillance is a new approach to public health surveillance of non-fatal overdoses that relies upon laboratory analysis of residual biospecimens from hospitals treating opioids overdoses. In Rhode Island (RI), USA, hospitals report suspected opioid overdoses to the Department of Health. Residual specimens associated with these overdoses are submitted to the State Health Laboratories for further characterization.

Association between initial opioid prescription diagnosis type and subsequent chronic prescription opioid use in Rhode Island: a population-based cohort study.

Objective: To identify initial diagnoses associated with elevated risk of chronic prescription opioid use.

Design: Population-based, retrospective cohort study.

Setting: State of Rhode Island.

History of Methadone and Buprenorphine Opioid Agonist Therapy Among People Who Died of an Accidental Opioid-Involved Overdose: Rhode Island, January 1, 2018-June 30, 2020.

To guide intervention efforts, we identified the proportion of individuals previously engaged in opioid agonist therapy among people who died of an accidental opioid-involved overdose. Most individuals (60.9%) had never received any prior buprenorphine or methadone treatment.