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Appropriate Clinical Response Following Opioid Overdose: A Retrospective Analysis Within the Veterans Health
Journal of Addiction Medicine
|January 12, 2026
Summary
Postoverdose care for veterans often involves dose reduction, not medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD). Black veterans and those without substance use disorder received less appropriate care, highlighting disparities in opioid overdose response.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Services Research
- Veterans Affairs
Background:
- Opioid overdose (OD) is a critical public health issue in the US.
- Veterans experience significant gaps in postoverdose care.
- Identifying factors for appropriate care is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine demographic and clinical factors associated with appropriate postoverdose care among veterans.
- To identify disparities in postoverdose treatment and response.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cohort study of 1032 veterans with nonfatal opioid overdose.
- Data extracted from electronic health records.
- Logistic regression analyzed factors associated with appropriate clinical response within 90 days (MOUD initiation, counseling, or dose reduction).
Main Results:
- 57.46% of veterans received appropriate clinical response, primarily dose reduction.
- Veterans with substance use disorder had higher odds of appropriate response (aOR=1.91).
- Black veterans had lower odds compared to White veterans (aOR=0.71).
Conclusions:
- Medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) is underutilized post-overdose.
- Opioid dose reduction was the most common intervention.
- Future research should explore social determinants of health for better care access.
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