Opioid Use and Overdose Patterns in Puerto Rico in 2020-2022: A Retrospective Descriptive Study

Abstract

The opioid epidemic is a recent global phenomenon affecting the United States and its affiliated territories, including Puerto Rico. There is a considerable gap in knowledge on how this epidemic has affected Puerto Rico. This gap can hinder the capabilities of healthcare workers to deliver appropriate treatment and preventative strategies to vulnerable groups. This descriptive study aims to describe opioid use and overdose in Puerto Rico during 2020-2022. This study analyzed data gathered by the Puerto Rico mental health and addiction subdivision of the Public Health Department (Administración de Servicios de Salud y Contra la Adicción; ASSMCA). Some of the noteworthy trends in this study include that most participants who suffered an overdose were overwhelmingly male and in the age group of 35-44 years old. Furthermore, most cases occurred in large metropolitan areas and happened in open spaces during the 12 pm-5:59 pm period. These findings emphasize the need for targeted interventions that consider the sociodemographic characteristics and geographical variations in drug use and overdose incidents in Puerto Rico.