Exploring disparities in overdose fatalities and naloxone administration

Background

Drug overdose remains a persistent public health crisis in the United States, with rising fatalities disproportionately affecting racial and ethnic minority communities. This study examines racial disparities in naloxone administration among drug overdose fatalities in Arizona from 2019 to 2023.

Methods

Data were drawn from the CDC’s Arizona State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (AZ-SUDORS), which compiles information from death certificates, medical examiner reports, and postmortem toxicology. Multivariable logistic regression models with multiple imputation were used to estimate the odds of naloxone administration across racial and ethnic groups, adjusting for demographic and contextual covariates. Interaction terms between race and stimulant involvement were included to assess differential patterns.

Results

Across 10,135 overdose deaths, opioids were detected in 76.9 % of cases, and naloxone was administered in 26.1 %. Hispanic and American Indian decedents were more likely to receive naloxone compared to non-Hispanic white decedents. Black decedents were also more likely to receive naloxone in the initial model, but this difference was no longer significant after accounting for stimulant involvement. A significant interaction revealed that Black decedents were more likely to receive naloxone in cases where stimulants were not involved, compared to stimulant-involved deaths. Naloxone administration was less likely among older and unhoused individuals and more likely among those with lower educational attainment.

Conclusions

Findings point to racial disparities in emergency overdose response and the moderating role of stimulant involvement. Public health strategies should address how drug combinations and racialized patterns of overdose shape naloxone access in order to ensure more equitable responses.