Nonfatal overdose among heroin users in southwestern China.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the prevalence of and risk factors for nonfatal overdose among heroin users in southwestern China.


METHODS
In 2005, 731 heroin users in Sichuan Province, China were interviewed for overdose experiences in the past 12 months. Factors hypothesized to be associated with overdose were evaluated with logistic regression models.


RESULTS
Eighty-eight (12%) drug users experienced at least one overdose, with a range from 1 to 20; 45 (51%) experienced 2 or more overdoses. Over half of participants with experience of overdose were recently released from prison (52%), and 56% used benzodiazepines before overdose. Longer methadone treatment in the past year (>or=180 vs. 0 days; OR, .3; 95% CI, .1-.8; P = .02), longer duration of using drugs (>or=7 vs. <7 years; OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.3-3.6; P = .002), and more frequency of injecting drugs in the past 3 months (>or=7 vs. <7 times/week; OR, 5.4; 95% CI, 3.2-9.0; P < .001) were independently associated with increased risk of nonfatal heroin overdose.


CONCLUSIONS
Nonfatal heroin overdoses are common among Chinese heroin users. Drug users should be encouraged to participate and remain in methadone treatment to prevent overdose and be educated about proper response to overdose to reduce risk of overdose death.
National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing, China.
Lu
L
Yin
Guangming
G
Qin
Yuhua
Y
Ruan
Han-Zhu
HZ
Qian
Chun
C
Hao
Lianzhi
L
Xie
Kanglin
K
Chen
Yafeng
Y
Zhang
Yaowen
Y
Xia
Junlin
J
Wu
Shenghan
S
Lai
Yiming
Y
Shao
D000328:Adult; D002423:Cause of Death; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D003932:Heroin / Q000506:poisoning; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation
D003932:Heroin; D008691:Methadone