Non-fatal drug overdose after release from prison: A prospective data linkage study

Background: Adults released from prison are at increased risk of poor health outcomes and preventable mortality, including from overdose. Non-fatal overdose (NFOD) is a strong predictor of future overdose and associated with considerable morbidity. This study aims to the determine the incidence, predictors and clinical characteristics of NFOD following release from prison. Methods: We used pre-release interview data collected for a randomised controlled trial in 2008–2010, and linked person-level, state-wide ambulance, emergency department, and hospital records, from a representative sample of 1307 adults incarcerated in Queensland, Australia. The incidence of NFOD following release from prison was calculated. A multivariate Andersen-Gill model was used to identify demographic, health, social, and criminal justice predictors of NFOD. Results: The crude incidence rate (IR) of NFOD was 47.6 (95%CI 41.1–55.0) per 1000 person-years and was highest in the first 14 days after release from prison (IR = 296 per 1000 person-years, 95%CI 206–426). In multivariate analyses, NFOD after release from prison was positively associated with a recent history of substance use disorder (SUD), dual diagnosis of mental illness and SUD, lifetime history of injecting drug use, lifetime history of NFOD, being dispensed benzodiazepines after release, a shorter index incarceration, and low perceived social support. The risk of NFOD was lower for people with high-risk alcohol use and while incarcerated. Conclusions: Adults released from prison are at high risk of non-fatal overdose, particularly in the first 14 days after release. Providing coordinated transitional care between prison and the community is likely critical to reduce the risk of overdose.