Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39608288›Full record

ArticleDrug and alcohol dependence2025

Characterizing and responding to stimulant overdoses: Findings from a mixed methods study of people who use cocaine and other stimulants in New England.

Jaclyn M W Hughto, Patrick J A Kelly, Stephanie A Vento, David R Pletta, Madeline Noh, Joseph Silcox, Josiah D Rich, Traci C Green

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Drug and alcohol dependence, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
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

8 authors.

Jaclyn M W HughtoDepartment of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Center for Health Promotion and Health Equity, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Center of Biomedical Research Excellence on Opioids and Overdose, Rhode Island Hospital, 1125 North Main Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA. Electronic address: jaclyn_hughto@brown.edu.
Patrick J A KellyDepartment of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA. Electronic address: patrick_kelly@brown.edu.
Stephanie A VentoCenter for Health Promotion and Health Equity, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA. Electronic address: stephanie_vento@brown.edu.
David R PlettaCenter for Health Promotion and Health Equity, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA. Electronic address: david_pletta@brown.edu.
Madeline NohDepartment of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Center for Health Promotion and Health Equity, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA. Electronic address: madeline_noh@brown.edu.
Joseph SilcoxBrandeis University Opioid Policy Research Collaborative, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA, USA; University of Massachusetts - Boston, 100 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, MA 02125, USA. Electronic address: joesilcox@brandeis.edu.
Josiah D RichDepartment of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Center of Biomedical Research Excellence on Opioids and Overdose, Rhode Island Hospital, 1125 North Main Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA; The Warren Alpert School of Medicine of Brown University, 222 Richmond Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA. Electronic address: jrich@lifespan.org.
Traci C GreenDepartment of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Center of Biomedical Research Excellence on Opioids and Overdose, Rhode Island Hospital, 1125 North Main Street, Providence, RI 02903, USA; The Warren Alpert School of Medicine of Brown University, 222 Richmond Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA; Brandeis University Opioid Policy Research Collaborative, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA, USA. Electronic address: tracigreen@brandeis.edu.

Funding

Project 4: Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS): Fetus to First YearsP20GM125507 · NIGMS · RHODE ISLAND HOSPITAL · PI CURT G BECKWITH · 2018 to 2026
$23.4M
NCIPC CDC HHS R01 CE003353NIGMS NIH HHS P20 GM125507
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo explore people who use stimulants' (PWUS) stimulant overdose experiences and identify factors associated with calling 911 for personal and witnessed stimulant overdoses.

methodsFrom 2022-2023, 222 people in Massachusetts and Rhode Island with past-30-day illicit stimulant use were surveyed. Adjusted multivariable logistic regression models examined the association between sociodemographics, substance use, and stimulant overdose history and whether 911 was called for participants' last personally experienced and witnessed stimulant overdoses.

resultsOverall, 42.2 % of PWUS witnessed- and 34.5 % personally overdosed on stimulants. Nearly half (48.7 %) of participants who overdosed used crack cocaine prior, 35.5 % reported extremely severe symptoms (e.g., heart attack, stroke, seizure, loss of consciousness), and 34.2 % said 911 was called at their last overdose. Among those who last witnessed a stimulant overdose, 41.5 % reported crack cocaine involvement, and 47.9 % said 911 was called (20.0 % personally called). Higher educational attainment and experiencing extremely severe symptoms were positively associated with 911 being called at participants' last stimulant overdose, whereas the number of overdoses witnessed and crack cocaine use by the person overdosing were negatively associated with 911 being called at participants' last witnessed stimulant overdose (all p-values<.05).

conclusionStimulant overdoses were common. Most participants reported moderate-to-severe symptoms, yet 911 was called in less than half of personal or witnessed stimulant overdoses. Emergency help-seeking also varied by symptom severity, stimulant type, and the sociodemographics of the person overdosing. Research is needed to understand barriers to formal help-seeking and the practices PWUS engage in to prevent fatal stimulant overdoses.

Indexed as

Central Nervous System StimulantsCocaine-Related DisordersDrug OverdoseAdolescentAdultCrack CocaineFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNew EnglandRhode IslandYoung AdultCentral Nervous System StimulantsCrack Cocaine911CocaineCrackEmergency responseMethamphetamineOverampingOverdoseStimulantsToxicity

Identifiers

PMID39608288
PMCPMC11685032

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.