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Exploring Potential Bellwethers for Drug-Related Mortality in the General Population: A Case for Sentinel Surveillance of Trends in Drug Use among Nightclub/Festival Attendees.
- Source :
- Substance Use & Misuse; 2023, Vol. 58 Issue 2, p188-197, 10p, 1 Chart, 4 Graphs
- Publication Year :
- 2023
-
Abstract
- Background: Drug-related deaths in the US continue to increase. Sentinel surveillance of high-risk populations can provide early warning for shifts in trends. Nightclub/festival attendees have high levels of drug use, so we explored whether use among this population can serve as a potential bellwether or indicator for use-related mortality in the general population. Methods: Trends in past-year cocaine and methamphetamine use were estimated from nightclub/festival attendees in New York City (NYC) and among NY residents, and trends were estimated for related death rates in NYC (2014/15–2019/20). Using national data from England and Wales (2010–2019), trends in past-year cocaine and ecstasy use (among the full population and among nightclub attendees) and related deaths were also estimated. Results: In NY/NYC, cocaine use remained stable in the general population, but use among nightclub/festival attendees and cocaine-related deaths doubled. Methamphetamine use among nightclub/festival attendees and death rates also more than doubled while use among the general population remained stable. In UK countries, increases in cocaine and ecstasy use were larger for infrequent/frequent nightclub attendees than in the general population, with 3.6- and 8-fold increases in related deaths, respectively. In UK countries, the association between nightclub attendance and death rates increased in a dose-response-like manner with larger associations detected when death rates were lagged by one year. Conclusions: Patterns of use among nightclub/festival attendees, more so than patterns in the general population, were similar to patterns of drug-related deaths. Use among this subpopulation could possibly serve as a bellwether for use-related outcomes. Continued surveillance is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 10826084
- Volume :
- 58
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Substance Use & Misuse
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 161518498
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2022.2151315