Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34894477›Full record

ArticleDrug and alcohol dependence2022

Alcohol-involved overdose deaths in US veterans.

Lewei A Lin, Erin E Bonar, Lan Zhang, Rachel Girard, Lara N Coughlin

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Drug and alcohol dependence, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.6field-weighted citation impact, top 16% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Opioid Misuse and Suicide-Related Outcomes Among Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review.The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Article
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  5. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Lewei A LinVA Center for Clinical Management Research (CCMR), VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Building 16 2800 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States; Addiction Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, 4250 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States; University of Michigan Injury Prevention Center, 2800 Plymouth Road, Suite B10-G080, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2800, United States. Electronic address: leweil@med.umich.edu.
Erin E BonarAddiction Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, 4250 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States; University of Michigan Injury Prevention Center, 2800 Plymouth Road, Suite B10-G080, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2800, United States.
Lan ZhangVA Center for Clinical Management Research (CCMR), VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Building 16 2800 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States; Addiction Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, 4250 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States.
Rachel GirardVA Center for Clinical Management Research (CCMR), VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Building 16 2800 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States; Addiction Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, 4250 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States.
Lara N CoughlinAddiction Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, 4250 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States; University of Michigan Injury Prevention Center, 2800 Plymouth Road, Suite B10-G080, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2800, United States.
University of Michigan–Ann Arbor · USVA Center for Clinical Management Research · US

Funding

CE19-001, University of Michigan Injury Prevention Center 2019-2024R49CE003085 · CE · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI CARTER, PATRICK M. · 2018 to 2023
$4.4M
Optimizing mobile behavioral economic interventions for rural risky drinkersK23AA028232 · NIAAA · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI COUGHLIN, LARA NICOLE · 2020 to 2024
$983k
Using telehealth to expand treatment access for Veterans with opioid use disorderIK2HX002612 · VA · VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION · PI LIN, LEWEI ALLISON · 2019 to 2024
–
ACL HHS R49CE003085EPA EP-C-18-008HSRD VA IK2 HX002612NCIPC CDC HHS R49 CE003085NIAAA NIH HHS K23 AA028232
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAlcohol-involved overdose deaths are increasing and often occur with other substances but have been minimally studied compared to other causes of overdose.

methodsWe used national Veterans Health Administration (VHA) records linked to National Death Index data from 2012 to 2018 to examine trends in alcohol-related overdose mortality. Patient characteristics and treatment receipt were compared across categories of alcohol overdose deaths (alcohol-only, alcohol+opioids which may include additional substances, and alcohol+other substances without opioids).

resultsFrom 2012-2018, 2421 Veterans died from an alcohol-involved overdose (alcohol-only: 868, alcohol+opioids: 1269, alcohol+other substances: 284). The alcohol-involved overdose rate increased 57% during this period. Compared to those who died of an alcohol-only overdose, Veterans who died from alcohol+opioids and alcohol+other substances were more likely Black or Hispanic, and to have an opioid use disorder, but less likely to live in rural areas or to be diagnosed with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Only 32.5% of those who died from alcohol-involved overdose received treatment in a substance use disorder clinic in the year preceding death, compared to 65.1% seen in mental health and 85.7% in primary care. Only 9.5% of Veterans who died from alcohol overdose received medication treatment for AUD and 24.8% received psychotherapy for AUD in the year preceding death.

conclusionsAlcohol overdose is increasing primarily related to overdoses involving opioids and other substances. Most patients did not receive any effective medication or psychotherapy treatments for AUD, suggesting further need to identify those at risk and to target treatment for this vulnerable group in healthcare settings.

Indexed as

AlcoholismDrug OverdoseOpioid-Related DisordersVeteransAnalgesics, OpioidHumansAnalgesics, OpioidAlcohol overdoseAlcohol screeningAlcohol use disorder treatmentPoisoning

Identifiers

PMID34894477
PMCPMC8714700
OpenAlexW3215482452

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.