Identifying Trends in Drug Overdose Deaths
Which States Have Been Hit the Hardest
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently released a report on the age-adjusted drug overdose death rates in the United States during 2021, using data from the National Health Statistics System. The report shows that in 2021, the age-adjusted drug overdose death rate was 32.4 per 100,000 standard population. However, the rates varied widely across states, with the highest rates in West Virginia (90.9) and the District of Columbia (63.6), and the lowest rates in Nebraska (11.4), South Dakota (12.6), and Iowa (15.3).
What is “Age Adjusted Rate?”
One key aspect of the report is the use of age-adjusted rates. Age is a known risk factor for drug overdose, and populations with different age distributions may have varying rates of drug overdose deaths, making direct comparisons between populations problematic. Age-adjustment allows for a fairer comparison between populations and helps to eliminate the potential bias of age differences.
The age-adjusted drug overdose death rates were calculated using the direct method and the 2000 U.S. Census Bureau standard population. The rates were reported as the number of deaths per 100,000 standard population. The data used in this study was obtained from the National Health Statistics System, and drug overdose deaths were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision underlying cause-of-death codes X40–X44, X60–X64, X85, and Y10–Y14.
The report highlights the severity of the drug overdose crisis in the United States and the need for targeted strategies to reduce drug overdose deaths. Law enforcement officials can use this information to develop targeted interventions to address the drug overdose crisis in their communities.
The age-adjusted drug overdose death rates are an essential tool for understanding the severity of the drug overdose crisis and identifying areas that require urgent attention. Age-adjustment allows for a fair comparison of drug overdose death rates between populations with different age distributions, providing more accurate and informative data for law enforcement officials and policymakers. By using this data, law enforcement officials can develop targeted strategies and interventions to reduce drug overdose deaths in their communities.