The Role of the Social Network in Fatal Opioid Overdose Prevention: The Former Opioid User’s Perspective

• Author: Quri Wygonik,Kasey Tucker-Gail,Tavis Glassman
• Published date: 01 July 2021
• Date: 01 July 2021
• DOI: 10.1177/00220426211006365
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/00220426211006365

Journal of Drug Issues

2021, Vol. 51(3) 576 –589

© The Author(s) 2021

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DOI: 10.1177/00220426211006365

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Article

The Role of the Social Network

in Fatal Opioid Overdose

Prevention: The Former

Opioid User’s Perspective

Quri Wygonik1, Tavis Glassman1,

and Kasey Tucker-Gail1

Abstract

Naloxone hydrochloride (naloxone) is an effective fatal opioid overdose prevention strategy.

The study findings describe former opioid users’ phenomenological perspectives regarding their

social network, settings of use, and the benefits and barriers to naloxone. Participants (N = 25)

with at least 6 months of recovery time (M = 30, SD = 14.40) were interviewed individually

for an average of 21 (SD = 5.13) min. The sample was predominately male, Caucasian, and non-

Hispanic with an average age of 37 (SD = 7.22) years. Interview transcripts were analyzed using

systematic thematic analysis. During their period of opioid use, most participants differentiated

the members of their social network as other people who use opioids (PWUO) and nonusers.

The participants described several opportunities for members of their social network to use

naloxone. They discussed barriers to naloxone use specific to PWUO within their social

network such as apathy toward overdose. Future interventions should be tailored to address

naloxone use barriers specific to PWUO and nonusers.

Keywords

opioids, overdose, naloxone, social networks, former opioid users

Introduction

Fatal opioid overdoses are a public health crisis gaining much attention. While in 2020 the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a decline in overdose deaths

related to prescription opioids and heroin in the United States, fatalities related to synthetic

opioids such as fentanyl are on the rise (Wilson et al., 2020). From 2017 to 2018, an increase

in fentanyl-related deaths was experienced among persons aged 25 years or older, non- Hispanic

Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islanders (Wilson

et al., 2020). Naloxone hydrochloride (naloxone) is an effective antidote to an opioid overdose

and is accessible to nonmedical laypersons like members of the social network of people who

use opioids (PWUO) (Campo-Flores & Elinson, 2014; Corso & Townley, 2016; Goldberg

et al., 2017; van Dorp et al., 2007).

1The University of Toledo, OH, USA

Corresponding Author:

Quri Wygonik, The University of Toledo, 2801 W. Bancroft Street, Toledo, OH 43606, USA.

Email: quri.danielswitt@rockets.utoledo.edu

1006365JODXXX10.1177/00220426211006365Journal of Drug IssuesWygonik et al.

research-article2021