Substance Use and Overdose in Public Libraries: Results from a Five-State Survey in the US

In response to a growing demand from the public for health information resources, North American public libraries have provided varying levels of consumer health information (CHI) services since the 1970s. Due to the availability of funding in the US, many American public libraries have provided CHI services, although the majority of these have been as partnerships with health sciences libraries or via the “Go Local” programs. In Canada, where no specific funding has been available for CHI services, few public libraries have set up CHI services; health information has generally been provided by augmenting health collections or “virtually,” i.e., by providing links to recommended electronic resources via the library’s Web site.

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Opioid overdose in public libraries: Results from a five state survey

10.1101/2020.06.05.20123422 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Rachel Feuerstein-Simon ◽

Margaret Lowenstein ◽

Roxanne Dupuis ◽

Xochitl Luna Marti ◽

Abby Dolan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Substance Use ◽

Public Libraries ◽

Public Library ◽

Opioid Overdose ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Public And Private ◽

The Past ◽

Library Staff ◽

One Year ◽

The One

AbstractIntroductionPublic libraries are increasingly impacted by the overdose crisis. A 2017 survey of public librarians in the state of Pennsylvania revealed that 12% had reported an on-site overdose in the previous year. There are increasing public and private efforts to equip public libraries with the opioid overdose antidote, naloxone.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional web-based survey of all public library branches in Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Michigan, and Virginia. Survey questions. We used descriptive statistics to report frequencies of responses and crude odds ratios were calculated to predict the dichotomized variable of endorsement of naloxone uptake.ResultsLibrary staff reported witnessing on-site alcohol (45%) and injection drug (14%) use in the past month. The one-year cumulative incidence (12% overall) of on-site overdose ranged from a low of 10% in MI, to a high of 17% in FL. Among libraries with on-site overdoses, a minority (21%) stocked naloxone, and 12% had administered naloxone. Overall, 11% of libraries stocked naloxone on-site. Although 24% of respondents reported attending at least one training regarding SUD in the past year, 91% wanted more training on the topic.ConclusionsPublic library staff routinely address issues related to substance use and overdose in their institutions. This work highlights the importance of including public libraries as part of a comprehensive public health strategy to address substance use-related morbidity and mortality in the U.S.

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Factors Associated with HIV Testing Among Participants from Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs in the US: A Machine Learning Approach

AIDS and Behavior ◽

10.1007/s10461-016-1628-y ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 534-546 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Yue Pan ◽

Hongmei Liu ◽

Lisa R. Metsch ◽

Daniel J. Feaster

Keyword(s):

Machine Learning ◽

Substance Use ◽

Hiv Testing ◽

Substance Use Disorder ◽

Treatment Programs ◽

Learning Approach ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Machine Learning Approach ◽

The Us ◽

Disorder Treatment

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Abstract TP418: Impact of Substance Use Disorder on Stroke Outcomes

Stroke ◽

10.1161/str.51.suppl_1.tp418 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 51 (Suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Thomas Lawler ◽

Jessica Lee

Keyword(s):

Substance Use ◽

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Infective Endocarditis ◽

Control Group ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Drug Induced ◽

Health Crisis ◽

Stroke Outcomes ◽

The Us ◽

Illicit Substances

Background: Substance abuse is a major health crisis in the US, with an estimated 20 million people suffering from substance use disorders (SUD). In addition to rising rates of SUD, Kentucky is located in the northern region of the stroke belt and has one of the highest rates of stroke hospitalizations in the US. Substance use may cause stroke by various mechanisms, including vasoconstriction, endothelial dysfunction, drug-induced vasculopathies, advanced rates of atherosclerosis, and infective endocarditis. We sought to examine the relationship between SUD and stroke outcomes. Methods: This is a single center, retrospective chart review of adults age >18 years with a diagnosis of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, and SUD based on either urine drug testing or medical record history, admitted between 12/6/2015 and 5/10/2019. We collected length of stay (LOS), admission/discharge NIHSS, discharge modified Rankin Scores, ICH scores, and discharge status and compared them to controls of ischemic stroke without SUD. Results: A total of 197 cases were identified [M=147 (74.6%)]. The most common illicit substances identified by testing were stimulants (42.6%, n=84), opioids (32.5%, n=64), and benzodiazepines (28.4%, n=56). Nearly all subjects had multiple substances present on screening. 13.8% (n=27) and 5.6% (n=11) received thrombolysis with either IV alteplase or mechanical thrombectomy, respectively. Compared to a control group of 176 ischemic stroke patients that did not test positive for illicit substances, cases (n= 139, ischemic stroke + SUD) were younger (mean=54.94+/-12.01 vs 66.15 +/- 14.38 yrs , p=0.0137), had a longer LOS (n=139, mean=8.44+/-10.84 vs 5.06 +/- 5.74, p=0.0006), higher admission NIHSS (mean=9.87+/-9.08, p=0.00012), and higher discharge NIHSS (mean=6.51+/-7.13 vs 4.19 +/- 5.73 , p=0.000512). Conclusion: Patients with SUD and stroke had longer LOS and worse discharge NIHSS compared to ischemic stroke patients without SUD. This could be due to the different mechanisms that cause strokes in substance users or could be a reflection of the effects of specific substances present at the time of admission. Future directions will include evaluating a hemorrhagic control population and examining a subpopulation of infective endocarditis.

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