Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020;55(11):1774-1780.
doi: 10.1080/10826084.2020.1762653. Epub 2020 May 22.

Fentanyl Preference among People Who Inject Drugs in West Virginia

Alyona Mazhnaya  1 , Allison O'Rourke  2 , Rebecca Hamilton White  1 , Ju Nyeong Park  1 , Michael E Kilkenny  3 , Susan G Sherman  1 , Sean T Allen  1
Affiliations

Fentanyl Preference among People Who Inject Drugs in West Virginia

Alyona Mazhnaya et al. Subst Use Misuse. 2020.

Abstract

Background: Overdose fatality rates in rural areas surpass those in urban areas with the state of West Virginia (WV) reporting the highest drug overdose death rate in 2017. There is a gap in understanding fentanyl preference among rural people who inject drugs (PWID). The aim of this study is to investigate factors associated with fentanyl preference among rural PWID in WV. Methods: This analysis uses data from a PWID population estimation study conducted in Cabell County, WV in June-July 2018. Factors associated with fentanyl preference were assessed using multivariable Poisson regression with a robust variance estimate. Results: Among PWID who reported having ever used fentanyl (n = 311), 43.4% reported preferring drugs containing fentanyl. Participants reported high levels of socioeconomic vulnerability, including homelessness (57.9%) and food insecurity (66.9%). Recent increases in drug use and injecting more than one drug in the past 6 months were reported by 27.0% and 84.2% of participants, respectively. In adjusted analyses, fentanyl preference was associated with being younger (PrR:0.98, 95% CI: 0.97-1.00), being female (PrR:1.45, 95% CI:1.14-1.83), being a Cabell county resident (PrR:0.60, 95% CI: 0.45-0.81), increased drug use in the past 6 months (PrR:1.28, 95% CI: 1.01-1.63), and injecting fentanyl in the past 6 months (PrR:1.89, 95% CI: 1.29-2.75). Conclusion: Fentanyl preference is highly prevalent among rural PWID in WV and associated with factors that may exacerbate overdose risks. There is an urgent need for increased access to tailored harm reduction services that address risks associated with fentanyl preference.

Keywords: Fentanyl preference; PWID; overdose; rural.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest

SGS is an expert witness for plaintiffs in opioid litigation. The other authors declare that they have no competing interests.

References

    1. Allen ST, Grieb SM, O’Rourke A, Yoder R, Planchet E, White RH, & Sherman SG (2019). Understanding the public health consequences of suspending a rural syringe services program: a qualitative study of the experiences of people who inject drugs. Harm Reduct J, 16(1), 33. doi: 10.1186/s12954-019-0305-7 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Allen ST, O’Rourke A, White RH, Schneider KE, Hazelnett T, Kilkenny M, & Sherman SG (2019). Applying Population Estimation Methods in Rural America. Retrieved from
    1. Allen ST, O’Rourke A, White RH, Schneider KE, Kilkenny M, & Sherman SG (2019). Estimating the Number of People Who Inject Drugs in A Rural County in Appalachia. Am J Public Health, 109(3), 445–450. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2018.304873 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Allen ST, White RH, O’Rourke A, Ahmad NJ, Hazelett T, Kilkenny ME, & Sherman SG (2019). Correlates of Transactional Sex Among a Rural Population of People Who Inject Drugs. AIDS Behav. doi: 10.1007/s10461-019-02612-7 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. BAHI. (2019). Rural Opioids Count. Estimate Services Needs in Your Rural Community Retrieved from https://americanhealth.jhu.edu/Calculator