Publication | Closed Access
State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting Surveillance: Opioid Overdose Deaths and Characteristics in Rhode Island.
14
Citations
0
References
2018
Year
Opioid EpidemicSubstance UseDrug PolicyDrug AssessmentUnited StatesSubstance Use DisordersHarm ReductionOverdose ReversalClinical EpidemiologyAddiction MedicineDrug MonitoringDrug OverdosePublic HealthDrug ToxicityHealth SciencesHealth PolicyMedicineDrug Overdose DeathsEpidemiologyEmergency MedicineSubstance AbuseAddictionRhode IslandPatient SafetyForensic ToxicologyOpioid OverdosePublic Health ProgramsOverdose PreventionOpioid Use DisorderOpioid Overdose Deaths
Unintentional opioid overdoses are a growing public health epidemic in the United States. Rhode Island is also faced with a challenging crisis of drug overdose deaths. The State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting Surveillance (SUDORS) data from the second half of 2016 were used to present opioid overdose deaths and characteristics in Rhode Island. During July-December 2016, 142 individuals died of opioid overdose in Rhode Island. People who died by opioid overdose were more likely to be 25-65 years old, male, and non-Hispanic white. The most common precipitating circumstances were substance abuse (88%), current mental health problems (43%), and physical health problems (27.5%). Over 83% of decedents had 2 or more substances attribute to causing their death, with fentanyl (71.1%) as the most common substance. Only 36.6% of decedents had naloxone administered. Fatal opioid overdose data are important for understanding this public health crisis and can guide overdose intervention efforts.