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Mental disorder and opioid overdose: a systematic review
Jenna van Draanen1,2,3, Christie Tsang4,5, Sanjana Mitra4,6
1BC Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 2A9, Canada. jenna.vandraanen@bccsu.ubc.ca.
Mental disorders are linked to opioid overdose. Nearly all studies found a connection, suggesting individuals with mental health conditions face higher risks of fatal and non-fatal overdoses.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Psychiatry
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Opioid overdose is a major public health crisis.
- Co-occurring mental disorders are prevalent among people who use opioids.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and quantify the relationship between mental disorder and overdose in people who use opioids.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of studies published between 2000-2021.
- Searches included electronic databases, citations, and expert contact.
- Data synthesized using the lumping technique with risk of bias assessment.
Main Results:
- 37 of 38 studies showed a link between mental disorder and opioid overdose.
- Strong evidence for internalizing, mood, and anxiety disorders.
- Moderate evidence for thought disorders and any mental disorder association with overdose.
Conclusions:
- A strong association exists between mental disorder and opioid overdose.
- Mental disorders are linked to both fatal and non-fatal opioid overdoses.
- Causal directionality between mental disorder and overdose requires further investigation.
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