Beyond the walls: Risk factors for overdose mortality following release from the Philadelphia Department of Prisons

Globally, substance use disorders are highly prevalent in criminal justice populations with the leading cause of death among previously incarcerated individuals being unintentional drug overdose, especially in the time period immediately following release (Binswanger et al., 2011a; Binswanger et al., 2013; Binswanger et al., 2007; Bukten et al., 2017; Farrell and Marsden, 2008; Fazel et al., 2006; Kariminia et al., 2007; Krinsky et al., 2009; Park et al., 2015). This risk may be explained by decreases in physiological drug tolerance as a result of abstinence during incarceration, and therefore subsequent return to drug use at previous levels following release can be fatal (Binswanger et al., 2007; Krinsky et al., 2009; Strang et al., 2003).
Source: Drug and Alcohol Dependence - Category: Addiction Authors: Tags: Full length article Source Type: research