Dissertations and Theses
Date of Degree
9-30-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Public Health (DPH)
Department
Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Advisor(s)
Elizabeth Kelvin
Chloe Teasdale
Committee Members
Elizabeth Kelvin
Chloe Teasdale
Katarzyna Wyka
Ashly Jordan
Subject Categories
Public Health
Keywords
overdose, polysubstance, cohort analysis
Abstract
In the United States, from 1999-2023, over one million lives have been lost to the drug overdose. The overdose epidemic is currently driven by polysubstance use, meaning more than one drug. Polysubstance use-related overdose mortality has increased, with highest impacts among Black and Latino populations aged 55 years and older. With the evolving drug supply, it is important to identify the combinations of polysubstance involved in overdose deaths in order to create tailored overdose prevention interventions. It is also essential to expand surveillance to examine trends by cohorts to identify communities in need of substance use care and overdose prevention. Using robust NYC overdose mortality surveillance data, latent class and age-period-cohort analyses were used in this dissertation aimed at elucidating drug combinations present in NYC overdose mortality, and to examine cohort effects in overdose mortality overall and by race-ethnicity.
Recommended Citation
Tuazon, Ellenie, "Deaths not in vain-- A retrospective analysis of New York City overdose mortality to inform future overdose prevention strategies that address polysubstance use and drug use along the life course" (2026). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/sph_etds/137
