The United States continues to experience unprecedented rates of overdose mortality and need to identify effective policies or practices that can be implemented. This study aims to measure the prevalence, frequency, timing, and rate of touchpoints that occurred prior to a fatal overdose where communities might intervene.

In collaboration with Indiana state government, we conducted record-linkage of statewide administrative datasets to vital records (January 1, 2015, through August 26, 2022) to identify touchpoints (jail booking, prison release, prescription medication dispensation, emergency department visits, and emergency medical services). We examined touchpoints within 12-months prior to a fatal overdose among an adult cohort and explored variation over time and by demographic characteristics.