Neighborhood-Level Impact on Opioid Use in the United States: A Scoping Review.

Abstract

Opioid use presents a pressing public health concern throughout the United States, with growing disparities related to overdose deaths and access to treatment. Neighborhoods, as built and social environments, are an essential domain of the social determinants of health that impact people's well-being. Historical and current policies impact neighborhoods and can contribute to persistent health disparities. Integrating complex factors within the areas where people work, play, learn, and socialize, neighborhoods can contribute to opioid use in various ways. This scoping review describes, synthesizes, and summarizes the existing literature examining neighborhood-level factors on opioid use in the United States. Four databases were searched, and 39 studies were included. Over 90% of the studies were observational study designs. Despite heterogeneous operational definitions between studies, worsening neighborhoodlevel socioeconomic status was associated with worsening opioid use outcomes. Ethnoracial disparities were associated with both opioid-related overdoses and treatment availability. Implications from the scoping review highlighted a need for examining lived experiences to highlight essential variables, the use of conceptual models to guide research, greater consensus on operational definitions, and diversification of study designs. Neighborhood-level factors and opioid use disorder warrant further investigation. Future research should examine structural components and policy impacts on neighborhoods and include studying lived experiences and underrepresented ethnoracial populations, such as Native American and Alaska Native peoples. Findings can inform policies, guide place-based interventions, and support individual treatment.