Overdose, Behavioral Health Services, and Medications for Opioid Use Disorder After a Nonfatal Overdose.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Addressing the drug overdose crisis requires identifying and serving high-risk individuals.
• Nonfatal drug overdoses represent critical opportunities to intervene and prevent subsequent fatalities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the receipt of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), naloxone, and behavioral health services within 12 months post-nonfatal drug overdose.
• To determine the association between receiving these interventions and the risk of fatal drug overdose.

Main Methods:

• A US-based cohort study using Medicare fee-for-service data (January 2020-December 2021).
• Included beneficiaries aged 18+ with a nonfatal drug overdose diagnosis.
• Analyzed associations between MOUD, naloxone, behavioral health services, and fatal drug overdose within 12 months.

Main Results:

• The cohort included 136,762 beneficiaries with a nonfatal overdose; 1.0% experienced a fatal overdose within 12 months.
• Only 4.1% received MOUD and 6.2% filled a naloxone prescription.
• Naloxone, MOUD (methadone, buprenorphine), and behavioral health services were associated with reduced odds of fatal overdose.

Conclusions:

• A small proportion of Medicare beneficiaries received potentially life-saving interventions after a nonfatal overdose.
• Improved access to MOUD, naloxone, and behavioral health services is crucial for overdose prevention.
• Linking individuals to community-based care post-overdose is essential for reducing mortality.