Association Between Self-Reported Opioid Use and Behavioral/Social Health Characteristics—Arizona, 2020

Arizona observed a sharp increase in opioid overdose deaths between 2017 and 2021. Our objective was to better understand the relationship between behavioral/ social characteristics and self-reported opioid misuse among Arizona adults.

A cross-sectional study design was done using data from the Arizona 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) (N = 10,291). Confidence intervals and p-values were found using chi-square for respondents with and without a self-reported opioid misuse. Logistic regression models were developed for the association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), mental health, and risk-taking behaviors (RTBs) and opioid misuse.

Respondents who reported 2–3 ACEs (OR_adjusted: 4.7; 95% CI: [2.8, 7.9]) and who reported 4 or more ACEs (OR_adjusted: 8.3; 95% CI: [5.0, 13.6]); respondents who reported poor mental health (OR_adjusted: 3.3; 95% CI: [2.1, 5.2]); and respondents who reported two or more RTBs (OR_adjusted: 3.9; 95% CI: [2.5, 6.1]) had higher odds of self-reported opioid misuse compared to those without self-reported opioid misuse.

Opioid misuse was found to be associated with poor mental and physical health, increased RTBs, and history of at least two ACEs among Arizona adults in this study. These findings stress the importance of opportunities for targeted prevention in both Arizona adults and youth, including screening for ACEs and RTBs, in early stages of life.