Manuel Cano1, Camila Gelpí-Acosta2. 1. University of Texas at San Antonio, 501 W. César E. Chávez Blvd., San Antonio, TX, 78207, USA. Electronic address: manuel.cano@utsa.edu. 2. LaGuardia Community College, City University of New York, 31-10 Thomson Avenue, Long Island City, NY, 11101, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study compared drug overdose mortality rates in Puerto Rican-heritage and Non-Hispanic (NH) White individuals in the United States (US), examining time trends and recent variation by age, sex, state of residence, and drugs involved in overdose. METHODS: Death certificate data from the National Center for Health Statistics, as well as American Community Survey population estimates, were used to calculate age-specific and age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rates for Puerto Rican-heritage and NH White residents of the 50 United States or District of Columbia (DC). Rates for 2018 were compared between Puerto Rican-heritage and NH White individuals, overall and by sex, age, state, and specific drug involved in overdose. Joinpoint Regression was used to examine trends in drug overdose mortality rates from 2009 to 2018. RESULTS: From 2009 to 2018, the age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate in stateside Puerto Ricans doubled among women (from 6.0 to 12.5 per 100,000) and nearly tripled among men (from 15.3 to 45.2 per 100,000). In 2018, the age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rate was significantly higher in Puerto Rican-heritage than NH White individuals (28.7 vs. 26.2 per 100,000, respectively). The 2018 drug overdose mortality rate was highest among Puerto Rican-heritage men ages 45-54 (104.1 per 100,000). CONCLUSION: Findings emphasize the necessity of policies, programs, and interventions to mitigate risk of fatal overdose in stateside Puerto Rican communities.
BACKGROUND: This study compared drug overdosemortality rates in Puerto Rican-heritage and Non-Hispanic (NH) White individuals in the United States (US), examining time trends and recent variation by age, sex, state of residence, and drugs involved in overdose. METHODS: Death certificate data from the National Center for Health Statistics, as well as American Community Survey population estimates, were used to calculate age-specific and age-adjusted drug overdosemortality rates for Puerto Rican-heritage and NH White residents of the 50 United States or District of Columbia (DC). Rates for 2018 were compared between Puerto Rican-heritage and NH White individuals, overall and by sex, age, state, and specific drug involved in overdose. Joinpoint Regression was used to examine trends in drug overdosemortality rates from 2009 to 2018. RESULTS: From 2009 to 2018, the age-adjusted drug overdosemortality rate in stateside Puerto Ricans doubled among women (from 6.0 to 12.5 per 100,000) and nearly tripled among men (from 15.3 to 45.2 per 100,000). In 2018, the age-adjusted drug overdosemortality rate was significantly higher in Puerto Rican-heritage than NH White individuals (28.7 vs. 26.2 per 100,000, respectively). The 2018 drug overdosemortality rate was highest among Puerto Rican-heritage men ages 45-54 (104.1 per 100,000). CONCLUSION: Findings emphasize the necessity of policies, programs, and interventions to mitigate risk of fatal overdose in stateside Puerto Rican communities.
Authors: Samuel R Friedman; Leslie D Williams; Ashly E Jordan; Suzan Walters; David C Perlman; Pedro Mateu-Gelabert; Georgios K Nikolopoulos; Maria R Khan; Emmanuel Peprah; Jerel Ezell Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-06-17 Impact factor: 4.614