A Closer Look at Rising State Death Rates from Drugs, Alcohol, and Suicide
In late June, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the most sweeping legislation yet to combat the opioid crisis, which has helped fuel a 51 percent increase in the combined death rate for drug overdoses, alcohol abuse, and suicide between 2005 and 2016, as reported in the Commonwealth Fund’s 2018 Scorecard on State Health System Performance.
In a new To the Point post, the Commonwealth Fund’s Susan Hayes, David Radley, and Douglas McCarthy compare state rates for these deaths in 2005 and 2016, the most recent year for which data are available. They find that drug overdose deaths more than doubled over the 11-year period. They also say that while the rate of “deaths of despair” increased everywhere during these years, West Virginia not only had the highest rate in 2016 but the biggest increase in deaths from drugs, alcohol, and suicide since 2005.
The authors highlight successful state strategies for expanding access to opioid addiction treatment. They also point to the need for greater cooperation and engagement among policymakers and across the health care, social service, and criminal justice sectors.
opioid overdose_1x1 Read the post A Closer Look at Rising State Death Rates from Drugs, Alcohol, and Suicide