A research team led by Dr. Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein, Associate Professor of Population Health Sciences at Duke and faculty affiliate at the Cook Center, examined how structural factors such as access to housing support and patterns of health care use, including emergency department visits, relate to the risk of overdose withing 12 months following release from incarceration in Rhode Island.
Using a retrospective cohort study design, the researchers aligned data from the Rhode Island Department of Corrections with individual-level information from other state agencies. They analyzed the cumulative risk of substance-use related death using statistical models that considered the time and influence of structural and health care variables.
While previous studies have highlighted the elevated risk of overdose after incarceration, often due to reduced drug tolerance during confinement and relapse upon release, this study explored less commonly examined contributors, such as access to services and social support.
Overall, the study suggests decarceration as a public health strategy in addressing the heightened overdose risk among individuals recently released from correctional settings.
Access the study here: Structural and healthcare predictors of substance use-related death following release from incarceration: A retrospective cohort study in Rhode Island, 2018–2020
