Factors associated with prehospital naloxone use

This study examined prehospital naloxone use in the United States in 2010 and identified county-level predictors using data from the National EMS Information System (NEMSIS) linked to sociodemographic databases. Naloxone was administered at a rate of 7.71 uses per 1,000 EMS scene calls. Negative binomial regression revealed key risk factors, including lack of health insurance, lower household income, disability benefits, infant mortality, EMS scene location at home, cardiac arrest complaints, and EMS operational variables. Protective factors included Black race and longer dispatch times. Findings indicate substantial county-level variation and highlight EMS and sociodemographic characteristics as important predictors of naloxone use.