Author information
1Center for Health Services Research, Institute for Health, Rutgers University, 112 Paterson Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; School of Social Work, Rutgers University, 536 George Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; School of Public Health, Department of Health Behavior, Society and Policy, Rutgers University, 683 Hoes Ln W, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA. Electronic address: scrystal@ifh.rutgers.edu.
2Center for Health Services Research, Institute for Health, Rutgers University, 112 Paterson Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; School of Public Health, Department of Health Behavior, Society and Policy, Rutgers University, 683 Hoes Ln W, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA. Electronic address: mnowels@ifh.rutgers.edu.
3Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, 630 W 168th Street, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA; Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA. Electronic address: Mark.Olfson@nyspi.columbia.edu.
4Center for Health Services Research, Institute for Health, Rutgers University, 112 Paterson Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; School of Public Health, Department of Health Behavior, Society and Policy, Rutgers University, 683 Hoes Ln W, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA. Electronic address: h.samples@rutgers.edu.
5Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA.
6Center for Health Services Research, Institute for Health, Rutgers University, 112 Paterson Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA; School of Social Work, Rutgers University, 536 George Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA. Electronic address: peter.treitler@rutgers.edu.
Abstract
Objective: Medically treated opioid overdoses identify a population at high risk of subsequent mortality and need for treatment. This study reports on medically treated opioid overdose trends in a state with rapid fentanyl spread.
Methods: We conducted stratified trend analysis of medically treated overdose due to heroin, synthetic opioids, methadone, or other natural opioids among New Jersey Medicaid beneficiaries aged 12-64 years (2014-2019); evaluated associations with demographics and co-occurring conditions; and examined trends in fentanyl penetration in suspected heroin seizures from New Jersey State Police data.
Results: Overdose risk more than tripled from 2014 to 2019, from 120.5 to 426.8 per 100,000 person-years, respectively. Increases primarily involved heroin and synthetic opioids and were associated with co-occurring alcohol and other non-opioid drug disorders, major depressive disorder, and hepatitis C. Concurrent changes in the drug exposure environment (2015-2019) included an increase in fentanyl penetration (proportion of suspected heroin seizures that included fentanyls) from 2% to 80%, and a decrease in the proportion of Medicaid beneficiaries who received opioid analgesic prescriptions from 23% to 13%.
Conclusion: Results document a rapid increase in overdose risk among individuals with opioid use disorder in an environment in which fentanyl is highly prevalent, and highlight the need for intensified services and engagement of non-treatment seekers, and integrated models to address multiple co-occurring conditions and risk factors.