Objectives. To test the associations between local employment opportunities for the Black workforce and drug mortality among Black Americans, while examining the potential moderating effects of fentanyl seizure rates.

Methods. We derived data from the National Center for Health Statistics’ restricted-access Multiple Cause of Death file, linked with county-level job counts, drug supply, and other characteristics from the US Census Bureau and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. After examining the characteristics of counties by the magnitudes of increases in drug mortality from 2010‒2013 to 2018–2021, we conducted a first-differenced regression analysis to test the associations between the job-to-Black workforce ratio and age-adjusted drug mortality rates among Black Americans in US counties and test the moderating effects of state-level fentanyl seizure rates.

Results. One more job per 100 Black workers was associated with 0.29 fewer drug overdose deaths per 100 000 Black Americans in the county. This negative association was stronger in the counties of the states with higher increases in fentanyl seizure rates.

Conclusions. Increasing employment opportunities can be an important strategy for preventing Black Americans’ drug mortality, especially among those living in areas with higher increases in fentanyl seizure rates. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print April 25, 2024:e1–e4. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307646)

目标。测试黑人劳动力的当地就业机会与美国黑人的毒品死亡率之间的关联，同时研究芬太尼缉获率的潜在调节作用。

方法。我们从国家卫生统计中心的受限访问多重死因档案中获取数据，并与县级就业人数、药品供应以及美国人口普查局和疾病控制与预防中心的其他特征相关联。在通过 2010-2013 年至 2018-2021 年药物死亡率增长幅度研究各县的特征后，我们进行了一阶差分回归分析，以测试工作与黑人劳动力比率与年龄调整药物死亡率之间的关联调查美国各县黑人的缉获率，并测试州级芬太尼缉获率的调节作用。

结果。每 100 名黑人工人多一份工作，该县每 10 万美国黑人因吸毒过量死亡人数就会减少 0.29 人。这种负相关性在芬太尼缉获率增加较高的州县中更为明显。

结论。增加就业机会可能是防止美国黑人因毒品死亡的重要策略，特别是对于生活在芬太尼缉获率上升较高地区的黑人而言。 （《Am J Public Health》。2024 年 4 月 25 日印刷前在线发布：e1–e4。https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307646）