State-Level Prevalence and Associates of Opioid Dependence in the USA

Janni Leung, Gary C. K. Chan, Samuel X. Tan, Caitlin McClure-Thomas, Louisa Degenhardt and Wayne Hall
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Janni Leung: National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4067, Australia
Gary C. K. Chan: National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4067, Australia
Samuel X. Tan: National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4067, Australia
Caitlin McClure-Thomas: National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4067, Australia
Louisa Degenhardt: National Drug & Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2031, Australia
Wayne Hall: National Centre for Youth Substance Use Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4067, Australia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 7, 1-11

Abstract: Traditionally, opioid-related disease burden was primarily due to heroin use. However, increases in extra-medical (or non-medicinal use of prescription opioids; NMPOs) use has precipitated the current overdose epidemic in North America. We aim to examine the state-level prevalence of heroin and NMPO dependence and their associations with opioid-related mortality and state-level socio-demographic profiles. Data were pooled from the 2005–2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). We examine opioid-related mortality from CDC WONDER (Cause of Death database) by the past year prevalence of DSM-IV heroin and NMPO dependence, by age and sex, and their associations with state-level socio-demographic characteristics from census data. State-level rates of heroin dependence were associated with opioid-related death rates in young and mid-aged adults, while rates of NMPO dependence were associated with opioid-related death rates across all ages. The prevalence of heroin dependence was positively associated with state-level GDP/capita and urbanity. State-level NMPO dependence prevalence was associated with higher unemployment, lower GDP/capita, and a lower high-school completion rate. The prevalence of heroin and NMPO dependence are associated with a broad range of geographical and socio-demographic groups. Taking a wider view of populations affected by the opioid epidemic, inclusive interventions for all are needed to reduce opioid-related disease burden.

Keywords: opioid-related disorders; heroin dependence; analgesics; opioid; public health; socio-economic; socio-demographic (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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