ArticleHarm reduction journal2015
Why the FUSS (Fentanyl Urine Screen Study)? A cross-sectional survey to characterize an emerging threat to people who use drugs in British Columbia, Canada.
Article in Harm reduction journal, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03373825 (Rapid Self-Testing to Prevent Fentanyl Overdose Among Young People Who Use Drugs), which is not on this map. Cited by 72 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Rapid Self-Testing to Prevent Fentanyl Overdose Among Young People Who Use Drugs
Who cites it
72 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 133 citations in OpenAlex.
- Systematic review on intentional non-medical fentanyl use among people who use drugs.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2024Pooled it
- The association between methamphetamine use and number of sexual partners in men who have sex with men: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy · 2022Pooled it
- The Evolving Overdose Epidemic: Synthetic Opioids and Rising Stimulant-Related Harms.Epidemiologic reviews · 2020Pooled it
- Effects of opioids and stimulants on the respiratory system.European respiratory review : an official journal of the European Respiratory Society · 2026Review
- A mixed methods examination of organizational approaches to fentanyl test strip distribution and training across multiple states.Harm reduction journal · 2026Article
- Substances and substance combinations among accidental substance-related acute toxicity deaths (AATDs) in Canada from 2016 to 2017.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Preventing overdoses involving stimulants: the POINTS study protocol.BMC public health · 2024Article
- Preventing Overdoses Involving Stimulants: The POINTS Study Protocol.Research square · 2024Article
- Fentanyl Exposure and Detection Strategies Utilized by Clinical Trial Participants Seeking Linkage to Opioid Use Disorder Treatment at a Syringe Service Program.Journal of medical toxicology : official journal of the American College of Medical Toxicology · 2024Article
- Article
- Evaluating the impact of naloxone dispensation at public health vending machines in Clark County, Nevada.Annals of medicine · 2022Article
- Characteristics and correlates of fentanyl preferences among people with opioid use disorder.Drug and alcohol dependence · 2022Article
- Fentanyl preference among people who use opioids in New York City.Drug and alcohol dependence · 2022Article
- Infrequent detection of unintentional fentanyl use via urinalysis among people who regularly inject opioids in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia.Addiction (Abingdon, England) · 2022Article
- What is the prevalence of drug use in the general population? Simulating underreported and unknown use for more accurate national estimates.Annals of epidemiology · 2022Article
- Racial/Ethnic and Geographic Trends in Combined Stimulant/Opioid Overdoses, 2007-2019.American journal of epidemiology · 2022Article
- Methamphetamine use in the United States: epidemiological update and implications for prevention, treatment, and harm reduction.Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · 2022Review
- Increasing preference for fentanyl among a cohort of people who use opioids in Vancouver, Canada, 2017-2018.Substance abuse · 2022Article
- Understanding opioid overdose risk and response preparedness among people who use cocaine and other drugs: Mixed-methods findings from a large, multi-city study.Substance abuse · 2022Article
- Social-Structural Predictors of Fentanyl Exposure among Street Involved Youth.Substance use & misuse · 2022Article
12 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundFentanyl-detected illicit drug overdose deaths in British Columbia (BC) recently increased dramatically from 13 deaths in 2012 to 90 deaths in 2014, signaling an emerging public health concern. Illicit fentanyl is sold as pills or powders, often mixed with other substances like heroin or oxycodone; reports from coroners suggested that fentanyl was frequently taken unknowingly by people who use drugs. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and characteristics of fentanyl use among clients accessing harm reduction (HR) services in BC.
methodsParticipants attending HR services at 17 sites across BC were invited to complete an anonymous questionnaire describing drugs they have used within the last 3 days and provide a urine sample to test for fentanyl. Data from eligible participants were analyzed using descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate statistical methods.
resultsSurveys from 17 HR sites were received, resulting in analysis of responses from 242 eligible participants. Most participants used multiple substances (median = 3), with crystal meth (59%) and heroin (52%) use most frequently reported. Seventy participants (29%) tested positive for fentanyl, 73% of whom did not report using fentanyl. Controlling for age, gender, and health authority, reported use of fentanyl (odds ratio (OR) = 6.13, 95% confidence interval (CI) = [2.52, 15.78], p < 0.001) and crystal methamphetamine (OR = 3.82, 95% CI = [1.79, 8.63], p < 0.001) use were significantly associated with fentanyl detection.
conclusionsThe proportion of those testing positive who did not report knowingly using fentanyl represents a considerable public health concern. The risk of overdose among this vulnerable population highlights the need for targeted HR strategies, such as increased accessibility to naloxone, overdose education, and urine screens.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.