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Final Program


Final Program

330 - The Accessibility, Awareness, and Knowledge of Fentanyl Test Strips in Rural America: a Scoping Review of the Literature

Thursday, February 27, 2025
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM MST

    Presenting Author(s)

  • HF

    Holly Fullman, n/a

    Medical Student
    Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine
    Chatham, New Jersey, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • PP

    Pooja Patel, n/a

    Medical Student
    Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine
    Edison, New Jersey, United States

  • RJ

    Richard Jermyn, DO

    Doctor of Osteopathy
    Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine
    Stratford, New Jersey, United States

Objectives: Rates of overdose due to fentanyl have risen substantially within rural communities, as they lack access to efficient harm reduction services. Fentanyl test strips (FTS) are an easy and useful tool to detect fentanyl in various drugs, especially in rural areas where access to other harm reduction services are unfeasible. FTS have recently become legalized and are vital as fentanyl adulterates opioids and stimulants. Currently, there are no published reviews that address the use of FTS in rural areas.

Design:

The study was performed following PRISMA guidelines for scoping reviews. Three databases were used (MEDLINE, Web of Science, and PubMed). Peer-reviewed articles that assessed FTS accessibility, awareness, and knowledge within rural communities of the United States were included. Studies not within the US or the four states that ban FTS as of October 2024 (ND, TX, IN, IA) were excluded. Studies were not excluded by publication type or year.

Results: Seven studies met inclusion criteria, focusing on FTS and other harm reduction services. The evidence shows that FTS are not widely known or accessible within rural populations across the US due to the high stigma and lack of resources surrounding rural drug use. FTS interest increased after people who inject drugs (PWID) were exposed to its benefits. Importantly, PWID were less likely to consume a drug that tested positive for fentanyl.

Conclusions: Many PWID express fear over fentanyl’s growing presence within methamphetamine and opioids. Currently, PWID have resorted to riskier methods of detecting fentanyl, underscoring the need for FTS within rural communities. Increasing access to FTS can be easily achievable in rural areas and will increase the likelihood of its usage. One limitation is the lack of research exploring FTS, as they have recently become legalized. Further research of FTS will lead to decreased incidents of fentanyl-related overdose.