Perceptions of fentanyl among African Americans who misuse opioids: implications for risk reduction

被引:5
作者
Rigg, Khary K. [1 ]
Kusiak, Ethan S. [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ S Florida, Dept Mental Hlth Law & Policy, 13301 Bruce B Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612 USA
关键词
Fentanyl; African Americans; Overdose deaths; Opioid misuse; Heroin; USERS PERCEPTIONS; HEROIN; PREVALENCE;
D O I
10.1186/s12954-023-00915-6
中图分类号
R194 [卫生标准、卫生检查、医药管理];
学科分类号
摘要
BackgroundFentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is 50 times more powerful than heroin and has become ubiquitous in the illicit drug supply in the USA. Studies show that among people who use drugs, fentanyl is sometimes viewed as a desirable substance due to its high potency and low cost, while others have an unfavorable perception because of its association with overdose. Unfortunately, studies on the perceptions of fentanyl are relatively rare and existing studies tend to rely on samples with little African American representation. The objective of this study, therefore, was to identify and describe perceptions of fentanyl among African Americans who misuse opioids, while capturing their motivations for seeking out or avoiding fentanyl.MethodsIn-depth interviews (n = 30) were conducted with a sample of African American adults who misuse opioids in Southwest Florida between August 2021 and February 2022. Audiotapes of interviews were transcribed, coded, and thematically analyzed.ResultsAnalyses revealed the presence of three subtypes of fentanyl-related perceptions: (1) fentanyl as an avoided adulterant, (2) fentanyl as a tolerated adulterant, and (3) fentanyl as a drug of choice.ConclusionsThese findings show that African Americans' perceptions of fentanyl are not monolithic and suggest the distribution of fentanyl test strips and naloxone may be an effective risk reduction strategy. Given that most studies on fentanyl rely on quantitative data from drug seizures and death certificates, this study uniquely contributes to the literature by capturing the voices of African Americans who use drugs.
引用
收藏
页数:8
相关论文
共 35 条
[1]  
Braun V., 2006, Qual Res Psychol, V3, P77, DOI [DOI 10.1191/1478088706QP063OA, DOI 10.1080/10875549.2021.1929659]
[2]  
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021, UNDERSTANDING EPIDEM
[3]   The triple wave epidemic: Supply and demand drivers of the US opioid overdose crisis [J].
Ciccarone, Daniel .
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY, 2019, 71 :183-188
[4]   Heroin uncertainties: Exploring users' perceptions of fentanyl-adulterated and -substituted 'heroin' [J].
Ciccarone, Daniel ;
Ondocsin, Jeff ;
Mars, Sarah G. .
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY, 2017, 46 :146-155
[5]   Fentanyl Contamination as a Risk Priority: the Impact of the Fentanyl Epidemic on Club Drug-Using Behaviours [J].
Cristiano, Nick .
SUBSTANCE USE & MISUSE, 2022, 57 (06) :975-982
[6]   NVivo [J].
Dhakal, Kerry .
JOURNAL OF THE MEDICAL LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, 2022, 110 (02) :270-272
[7]   Naloxone for heroin, prescription opioid, and illicitly made fentanyl overdoses: Challenges and innovations responding to a dynamic epidemic [J].
Fairbairn, Nadia ;
Coffin, Phillip O. ;
Walley, Alexander Y. .
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY, 2017, 46 :172-179
[8]   Evaluation of Increases in Drug Overdose Mortality Rates in the US by Race and Ethnicity Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic [J].
Friedman, Joseph R. ;
Hansen, Helena .
JAMA PSYCHIATRY, 2022, 79 (04) :379-+
[9]   Counterfeit Medications and Fentanyl [J].
Green, Traci C. ;
Gilbert, Michael .
JAMA INTERNAL MEDICINE, 2016, 176 (10) :1555-1557
[10]  
Hagan John C 3rd, 2022, Mo Med, V119, P484