Good Samaritan harm reduction policy and drug overdose deaths.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To examine the effects of a harm reduction policy, specifically Good Samaritan (GS) policy, on overdose deaths.

Data sources/study setting

Secondary data from multiple cause of death, mortality records paired with state harm reduction and substance use prevention policy.

Study design

We estimate fixed effects Poisson count models to model the effect of GS policy on overdose deaths for all, prescription, and illicit drugs, controlled substances, and opioids, while controlling for other harm reduction and substance use prevention policies.

Data collection/extraction methods

We merge secondary data sources by state and year between 1999 and 2016.

Principal findings

We fail to identify a statistically significant effect of GS policy in reducing ove

SUBMITTER: Atkins DN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6407344 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature