Multinational appraisal of the epidemiological distribution of opioid fatalities: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

BackgroundThe global or multinational scientific evidence on the distribution of opioid fatality is unknown. Hence, the current study collects epidemiological characteristics to shed light on the ongoing global or multinational opioid crisis and to promote the development of public health prevention/management strategies.MethodAll documents on PRISMA standards were retrieved via electronic databases.ResultsAmong the 47 articles relevant to our studies, which depict a total population size of 10,191 individuals, the prevalence of opioid fatal overdose was 15,022 (14.74%). Among the 47 articles, 14 of them reported the gender of the participants, with 22,125 (15.79%) male individuals and 7,235 (5.17%) female individuals, and the age distribution of the participants that was most affected by the overdose was as follows: 29,272 (31.13%) belonged to the 18-34-year-old age group and 25,316 (26.92%) belonged to the less than 18-year-old age group. Eighteen studies qualified for the meta-analysis of the multinational prevalence of fatal opioid overdose, depicting an overall pooled prevalence estimate of 19.66%, with 95% CIs (0.13–0.29), I2 = 99.76% determined using the random-effects model, and Q statistic of 7198.77 (p < 0.0001). The Egger test models of publication bias revealed an insubstantial level of bias (p = 0.015). The subgroup analysis of the study design (cohort or other) revealed that others have the highest prevalence estimate of 34.37, 95% CIs (0.1600–0.5901), I2 = 97.04%, and a sample size of less than 1,000 shows the highest prevalence of 34.66, 95% CIs (0.2039–0.5234), I2 = 97.82%, compared to that of more than 1,000 with a prevalence of 12.28, 95% CIs (0.0675–0.2131), I2 = 99.85%. The meta-regression analysis revealed that sample size (less-than or greater-than 1,000), (p = 0.0098; R2 = 3.83%) is significantly associated with the observed heterogeneity.ConclusionResearch-based findings of fatal opioid overdose are grossly lacking in middle- and low-income nations. We established that there is a need for opioid fatality surveillance systems in developing nations.