Drug Abuse and Substance Use in Newark, USA: A Neighbourhood-Level Public Health Analysis

Substance use disorders continue to be a significant urban public health issue in the United States and are a major contributor to preventable morbidity and mortality and growing health inequities. The opioid epidemic has also had a disproportionate effect on large metropolitan areas, particularly with the emergence of illicit synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. This study investigates the trends of drug abuse and substance use in Newark, New Jersey, within a neighborhood-level public health context. A descriptive analysis was performed on publicly available secondary data from state and national surveillance systems, treatment admission reports, overdose mortality statistics, and peer-reviewed literature. The use of substances was analyzed by wards in the city, taking into consideration social determinants of health and service distribution. Opioids, particularly heroin and fentanyl, contributed the most to substance-related morbidity and mortality, followed by alcohol and cocaine. There was a distinct geographic inequality in treatment admissions and overdose, with the Central and South wards having a higher burden than other parts of the city. Neighborhoods with higher levels of poverty, housing instability, and service concentration were most affected.