TABLE 1—
Demographic Characteristics; Overdose, Substance Use, and Treatment History; and Program Referrals: Relay Participants in New York City, June 1, 2017, to December 31, 2018
| No. (%) or Median (IQR) | |
| Total | 649 (100) |
| Male | 464 (72) |
| Race/ethnicitya | |
| White | 192 (30) |
| Black/African American | 118 (18) |
| Latino/a | 306 (48) |
| Middle Eastern | 7 (1) |
| Asian | 6 (1) |
| Otherb | 10 (2) |
| Age, ya | |
| 18–34 | 190 (30) |
| 35–54 | 265 (42) |
| ≥55 | 180 (28) |
| Homelessa (living in shelter or on the street) | |
| Yes | 173 (29) |
| No | 415 (71) |
| Previous overdose | |
| Yes | 242 (37) |
| No | 319 (49) |
| Unknown | 88 (14) |
| Median number of overdosesc | 2 (2) |
| Opioids involved in current overdose eventd | |
| Heroin | 457 (70) |
| Opioid analgesics | 90 (14) |
| Methadone | 45 (7) |
| Other drugs involved in current overdose eventd | |
| Cocaine | 81 (12) |
| Benzodiazepines | 89 (14) |
| Alcohol | 76 (12) |
| Reported injection of any drugs involved in current overdose event | 147 (23) |
| First-time receipt of a naloxone kita | 370 (60) |
| Treatment/service use history | |
| Currently engaged with a harm reduction program | 46 (8) |
| Received other drug treatment in past 12 moe | 101 (17) |
| Medication for addiction treatmentf | 142 (23) |
| Referralsg | 312 (48) |
| Harm reduction program | 165 (25) |
| Medication for addiction treatmentf | 104 (16) |
| Other outpatient substance use disorder treatment | 72 (11) |
| Inpatient substance use disorder treatment | 66 (10) |
| Referrals keptg,h | |
| Harm reduction program | 19 (53) |
| Medication for addiction treatmentf | 48 (79) |
| Other outpatient substance use disorder treatment | 27 (73) |
| Inpatient substance use disorder treatment | 41 (79) |
Note. IQR = interquartile range.
Fourteen participants were missing data on age, 10 on race/ethnicity, 61 on housing, and 31 on first-time receipt of a naloxone kit.
Other includes American Indian, Native Hawaiian, and multiracial.
Among participants reporting number of previous overdoses (n = 228).
Based on self-report; not mutually exclusive.
Inpatient or outpatient detoxification or rehabilitation and counseling.
Methadone or buprenorphine (or both).
Received at least one referral to one of the listed service types; referrals provided through March 31, 2019. Referrals are not mutually exclusive; participants may have received a referral to more than one service type.
Among patients with known referral status, as some participants were not able to be reached for follow-up: harm reduction, n = 36; medication for addiction treatment, n = 61; outpatient substance use disorder treatment, n = 37; and inpatient substance use disorder treatment, n = 52.