Table 2.
Overdose characteristics of young adult opioid users in New York City, 2014–16, among those with lifetime experience of overdose (N = 234).
| Sample prevalence Number (percent) |
Population estimate Percent (standard error) |
|
|---|---|---|
| Lifetime overdose among total sample (n = 539) | 234 (43.4%) | 46.6% (±14.6) |
| Age at first overdose Mean (standard deviation) |
20.4 (3.4) | – |
| Number of overdoses (n = 233, 1 participant missing data) | ||
| 1 | 96 (41.2%) | 38.9% (±11.8) |
| 2–3 | 76 (32.6%) | 39.6% (±11.5) |
| 4 or more | 61 (26.2%) | 21.5% (±9.1) |
| Number of substances used at last overdose (n = 233, 1 participant missing data) | ||
| 1 | 85 (36.5%) | 41.1% (±11.4) |
| 2 | 85 (36.5%) | 37.3% (±11.4) |
| 3 or more | 63 (27.0%) | 21.6% (±10.5) |
| Opioid(s) used at last overdose (n = 234) | ||
| Heroin only | 162 (69.2%) | 75.8% (±9.6) |
| PO only | 28 (12.0%) | 10.7% (±8.3) |
| Heroin and PO | 19 (8.1%) | 5.8% (±4.5) |
| No opioida | 25 (10.7%) | 7.6% (±3.4) |
| Route of heroin administration at last overdose (among the 181 who used heroin at last overdose, n = 178, 3 pts. missing data) | ||
| Injected | 149 (83.7%) | 80.8% (±11.8) |
| Snorted/sniffed | 29 (16.3%) | 19.2% (±11.8) |
| Smoked | 0 (0%) | 0% (±0) |
| Route of PO administration at last overdose b | ||
| Injected | 5 (17.2%) | 7.4% (±9.0) |
| Snorted/sniffed | 5 (17.2%) | 11.7% (±18.5) |
| Smoked | 1 (3.5%) | 9.1% (±29.6) |
| Oral | 21 (72.4%) | 75.8% (±29.8) |
PO, prescription opioid.
a
Per the study’s operational definition of “overdose,” events that involved only non-opioid substances (e.g., alcohol, benzodiazepines, stimulants, etc.) were included, if they involved loss of consciousness and/or respiration or the person was unresponsive.
b
Percentages and population estimates total >100 because participants were able to report multiple routes.