#VP18: Protective Associations Between Opioid Agonist Treatment And Fatal Opioid Overdose Vary With Time And Age: Findings From The Opioid Agonist Treatment And Safety (Oats) Study, New South Wales, Australia, 2001-2016

Background: Opioid overdose mortality rates are significantly reduced while in opioid agonist treatment (OAT) relative to time out of OAT. Increases in the population overdose mortality rate and aging of people accessing OAT, as observed in Australia, may influence this association. We aimed to assess changes in the strength of association between OAT and overdose death over time among younger and older people and explore possible explanations for observed changes. Methods: OAT prescribing data were linked to mortality data. We calculated unintentional opioid overdose mortality rate ratios (MRR, in OAT/out of OAT, adjusted for age, sex, Indigenous status) for those aged

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