Table 1.
Characteristics of naloxone access, source utilization, and beliefs among potential opioid overdose “bystanders” (N = 260) surveyed in Massachusetts, 2020
| Total N = 260 | |
|---|---|
| n (%) | |
| Ever purchased or otherwise obtained naloxone | 201 (77) |
| Median number of times obtained naloxone (interquartile range (IQR)) | 3 (2–7) |
| Reason(s) for not obtaining naloxone | 59 (23) |
| Don’t need ita | 50 (85) |
| Not comfortable asking for ita | 3 (5) |
| Don’t know where to get ita | 2 (3) |
| Confidentiality concernsa | 2 (3) |
| Too expensivea | 1 (2) |
| Places where naloxone has been obtained | 201 (77) |
| Support groupb | 100 (50) |
| Pharmacyb | 63 (31) |
| Syringe service/harm reduction programb | 41 (20) |
| Hospital, physician’s office, health clinic, health department, and/or EMTb | 41 (20) |
| Treatment or recovery centerb | 38 (19) |
| Friend/family memberb | 14 (7) |
| Police departmentb | 4 (2) |
| Fire departmentb | 1 (1) |
| Know how to use naloxone | 237 (91) |
| Everyone in the home knows where naloxone is and how to use itb | 114 (57) |
| Have recommended naloxone to others | 196 (75) |
| Knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about naloxone (n (%) who strongly agree or agree) | |
| Everyone who has a close family member or friend who uses illicit or prescription opioids not prescribed for them should have naloxone | 258 (99) |
| I would be comfortable going to a syringe exchange/harm reduction program to get naloxone | 217 (83) |
| Naloxone is just a band-aid on the drug problem | 56 (22) |
| Everyone should carry naloxone, regardless of whether they know someone who uses opioids or not | 190 (73) |
| Concern about stigma keeps people from getting naloxone | 225 (87) |
| Knowing naloxone is available makes people who use drugs act more irresponsibly | 64 (25) |
| Naloxone is affordable | 145 (56) |
| Concern about confidentiality keeps people from getting naloxone at the pharmacy | 166 (64) |
| I want to receive counseling every time I purchase naloxone at the pharmacy | 111 (43) |
| I worry that people will judge me negatively if they find out I have naloxone | 58 (22) |
| Knowing naloxone is available encourages drug use | 39 (15) |
| I do not want to have a record of naloxone purchase on my insurance or medical record | 66 (25) |
| Naloxone is still effective after its labeled expiration date | 136 (52) |
| Aware that naloxone can be purchased at a pharmacy without a prescription | 177 (68) |
| Have tried purchasing naloxone at a pharmacy without a prescription | 54 (21) |
| Reason(s) for not trying to purchase naloxone at a pharmacy without a prescription | 205 (79) |
| Already have a reliable free sourcec | 87 (42) |
| Don’t need itc | 79 (39) |
| Thought a prescription was neededc | 31 (15) |
| Too expensivec | 8 (4) |
| Worried what people will thinkc | 5 (2) |
| Confidentiality concernsc | 4 (2) |
| Not comfortable asking for itc | 4 (2) |
| Don’t know where to get itc | 4 (2) |
| Median number of times tried to purchase naloxone at a pharmacy without a prescription (IQR) | 2 (1–4) |
| Have successfully purchased naloxone at a pharmacy without a prescriptiond | 47 (87) |
| For first pharmacy purchase attempte: | 68 (26) |
| Felt comfortable going to the counter to ask for naloxonef | 50 (74) |
| Expected the person at the pharmacy counter to know exactly what you were asking forf | 60 (88) |
| Expected the person at the counter to treat you with respectf | 55 (81) |
| Were worried what the pharmacy staff would think of you when asking for naloxonef | 27 (40) |
| Were worried about confidentialityf | 30 (44) |
| Got all the information needed during the purchase to confidently respond to an overdosef | 30 (44) |
| Would go to a pharmacy for naloxone againf | 54 (79) |
aPercentages calculated based on n = 59 who had never purchased or otherwise obtained naloxone; bPercentages calculated based on n = 201 who had ever purchased or otherwise obtained naloxone; cPercentages calculated based on n = 205 who had never tried to purchase naloxone from a pharmacy without a prescription; dPercentage calculated based on n = 54 who had ever tried to purchase naloxone at a pharmacy without a prescription; eIncludes pharmacy naloxone purchase attempts with and without a prescription; fPercentages calculated based on n = 68 who had tried to purchase naloxone at a pharmacy with or without a prescription