The Geographic Distribution of Fentanyl-Involved Overdose Deaths in Cook County, Illinois.

ABSTRACT: Objectives. To contrast the geographic distribution of fentanyl-involved and non-fentanyl-involved fatal overdoses between 2014 and 2018 in Cook County, Illinois.Methods. We conducted a spatial analysis using locations of fentanyl-involved fatal overdoses (n?=?1433) compared with nonfentanyl opioid and polydrug fatal overdoses (n?=?1838) collected through the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office from 2014 to 2018. We also used logistic regression to test significant individual- and neighborhood-level covariates.Results. Fentanyl overdoses geographically clustered more than nonfentanyl overdoses, and this difference was statistically significant. One area in particular showed significantly elevated risk for fentanyl overdoses (P?Conclusions. Fentanyl-involved fatal overdoses follow a distinct geographic distribution associated with resource deprivation in neighborhoods where they occur. This suggests an evolving bifurcated drug market, with drug markets in resource-deprived neighborhoods disproportionately likely to include fentanyl.

SUBMITTER: Nesoff ED 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6893352 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature