ArticleJournal of general internal medicine2026
Prescription Depressant-Involved Overdose Mortality in Massachusetts (2000-2023): A Cohort Study.
Article in Journal of general internal medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundPrescription depressants, particularly benzodiazepines, gabapentinoids, and Z-drugs, pose overdose risk. Understanding their prevalence in overdose fatalities and co-involved substances is critical.
objectiveTo identify latent substance classes in prescription depressant-involved overdose deaths.
designRetrospective cohort study
participantsAll individuals whose fatal overdoses involved prescription depressants from 2000-2023 in Massachusetts, US (n = 8,665). MAIN MEASURES: Data were obtained from the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. Substances were identified using ICD-10 codes. Literal text entries were available from 2015-2023. We conducted a latent class analysis to derive substance classes and a multinomial logistic regression to examine associated factors. We assessed the proportion of deaths these classes comprised over time. KEY
resultsFive latent classes emerged and were characterized based on the substances with highest conditional probabilities within and across classes: 1) antidepressants (21.2%); 2) fentanyl, cocaine, and benzodiazepines (34.4%); 3) antidepressants and antipsychotics (8.2%); 4) prescription opioids and benzodiazepines (19.5%); and 5) fentanyl and gabapentin or xylazine (16.7%). Over time, fentanyl-related classes came to dominate earlier prescription-only classes; deaths in Class 1 declined by 86.5%, while those in Class 5 rose from 9.6% to 45.1%. Compared to Class 2, all other classes were older, more likely female, married, educated, from rural areas, and overdosed at home. Classes 1, 3, and 5 were more likely non-White.
conclusionsThousands of Massachusetts overdose deaths have involved prescribed medications, suggesting missed opportunities for intervention. Over time, the demographic patterns of deaths involving antidepressants, antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, and prescription opioids persisted, reflecting longstanding trends in polypharmacy among older women and racial disparities in prescribing. Prescription monitoring, deprescribing, screening for illicit drug use, and discussion of diversion risks are all needed. Findings underscore the need for clinical and policy interventions to reduce overdose risks among women, older individuals, and racial minorities.
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