Unsterile opioid injection increases risk for infection transmission, including HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), or hepatitis C virus (HCV). We assess prevalence of and risk factors associated with opioid overdose and infections with HIV, HBV, or HCV among Medicare beneficiaries with opioid-related fee-for-service claims during 2015. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis to estimate claims for opioid use and overdose and HIV, HBV, or HCV infections, using data from US Medicare fee-for-service claims. Beneficiaries with opioid-related claims had increased odds for HIV (2.3; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.3-2.4), acute HBV (6.7; 95% CI, 6.3-7.1), chronic HBV (5.0; 95% CI, 4.7-5.4), acute HCV (9.6; 95% CI, 9.2-10.0), and chronic HCV (8.9; 95% CI, 8.7-9.1). Beneficiaries with opioid-related claims and for HIV, HBV, or HCV infection, respectively, had a 1.1-1.9-fold odds for having a claim for opioid overdose. Independent risk factors for opioid overdose and each selected infection outcome included age, sex, race/ethnicity, region, and residence in a high-vulnerability county. Having opioid-related claims and selected demographic attributes were independent, significant risk factors for having HIV, HBV, or HCV claims among US Medicare beneficiaries. These results might help guide interventions intended to reduce incidences of HIV, HCV, and HBV infections among beneficiaries with opioid-related claims.
Keywords: Medicare; health status disparities; infectious disease medicine; socioeconomic factors.