Changes in characteristics of drug overdose death trends during the COVID-19 pandemic

  1. Catherine DiGennaro
  2. Gian-Gabriel P. Garcia
  3. Erin J. Stringfellow
  4. Sarah Wakeman
  5. Mohammad S. Jalali

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Abstract

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  1. Version published to 10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103392
  2. Version published to 10.1101/2021.02.01.21250781v2 on medRxiv
  3. ScreenIT

    SciScore for 10.1101/2021.02.01.21250781: (What is this?)

    Please note, not all rigor criteria are appropriate for all manuscripts.

    Table 1: Rigor

    Institutional Review Board StatementIRB: This study was deemed exempt from review by Mass General Brigham’s institutional review board.
    Randomizationnot detected.
    Blindingnot detected.
    Power Analysisnot detected.
    Sex as a biological variablenot detected.

    Table 2: Resources

    No key resources detected.

    Results from OddPub: We did not detect open data. We also did not detect open code. Researchers are encouraged to share open data when possible (see Nature blog).

    Results from LimitationRecognizer: We detected the following sentences addressing limitations in the study:
    This analysis had limitations, chiefly that up-to-date opioid-related mortality data are not available, so our findings only reflect trends through August 11, 2020. Policies to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 are informed by detailed real-time infection and mortality data (23). Drug OD data, however, are collated more slowly than COVID-19 data; state data are finalized on a three- to four-month lag in Massachusetts and evidence suggests that these lags could be even greater in other states (24). There are several challenges to collecting opioid OD data, including barriers to complete information about specific drugs present and lengthy delays in finalizing death certificates. Additionally, requirements to report ODs in a timely manner differ among states (25). Our ongoing work aims to link several up-to-date data sources to better characterize and forecast the impacts of COVID-19 on the opioid OD crisis. COVID-19 has impacted the public health landscape in several ways which will continue to be characterized over the coming years. Analysis of available data reveals signals of increased stimulant and alcohol presence in opioid ODs in Massachusetts. Stimulant and opioid-related deaths were becoming more frequent prior to the pandemic, but COVID-19 may have exacerbated their rise. Alcohol use has also increased, and the interaction between this and existing opioid use may amplify already-dangerous trends in opioid ODs. COVID-19 has brought about social isolation and existential...

    Results from TrialIdentifier: No clinical trial numbers were referenced.

    Results from Barzooka: We did not find any issues relating to the usage of bar graphs.

    Results from JetFighter: We did not find any issues relating to colormaps.

    Results from rtransparent:
    • Thank you for including a conflict of interest statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • Thank you for including a funding statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • No protocol registration statement was detected.

    About SciScore

    SciScore is an automated tool that is designed to assist expert reviewers by finding and presenting formulaic information scattered throughout a paper in a standard, easy to digest format. SciScore checks for the presence and correctness of RRIDs (research resource identifiers), and for rigor criteria such as sex and investigator blinding. For details on the theoretical underpinning of rigor criteria and the tools shown here, including references cited, please follow this link.

  4. Version published to 10.1101/2021.02.01.21250781v1 on medRxiv