Racial/ethnic disparities in overdose mortality trends in New York City, 1990-1998. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Racial/ethnic disparities in health and disease have been present in the United States for the past century. Although differences such as individual access to health care and health-related behaviors account for some of these health disparities, it is likely that a combination of individual and contextual-level factors determine the differential rates of disease between racial/ethnic groups. We studied fatal accidental drug overdose in New York City between 1990 and 1998 to describe differences in racial/ethnic patterns over time and to develop hypotheses about factors that might contribute to these differences. During this period, rates of overdose death were consistently higher among blacks and Latinos compared to whites. In addition, cocaine was more common among black decedents, while opiates and alcohol were more common among Latino and white decedents. Differences in situational factors, such as differential likelihood of activating emergency medical response, may in part explain the consistently higher overdose mortality rates observed among minorities. Further study to determine the individual and contextual factors that explain these observed disparities in overdose death may identify effective areas for public health intervention and provide insight into factors underlying racial/ethnic disparities in other health outcomes.

publication date

  • June 1, 2003

Research

keywords

  • African Americans
  • Black or African American
  • Drug Overdose
  • European Continental Ancestry Group
  • Hispanic Americans
  • Hispanic or Latino
  • Substance-Related Disorders
  • White People
  • Whites

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC3456270

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0042477904

PubMed ID

  • 12791796

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 80

issue

  • 2