Increases in heroin overdose deaths - 28 States, 2010 to 2012

Abstract

Nationally, death rates from prescription opioid pain reliever (OPR) overdoses quadrupled during 1999-2010, whereas rates from heroin overdoses increased by <50%. Individual states and cities have reported substantial increases in deaths from heroin overdose since 2010. CDC analyzed recent mortality data from 28 states to determine the scope of the heroin overdose death increase and to determine whether increases were associated with changes in OPR overdose death rates since 2010. This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which found that, from 2010 to 2012, the death rate from heroin overdose for the 28 states increased from 1.0 to 2.1 per 100,000, whereas the death rate from OPR overdose declined from 6.0 per 100,000 in 2010 to 5.6 per 100,000 in 2012. Heroin overdose death rates increased significantly for both sexes, all age groups, all census regions, and all racial/ethnic groups other than American Indians/Alaska Natives. OPR overdose mortality declined significantly among males, persons aged <45 years, persons in the South, and non-Hispanic whites. Five states had increases in the OPR death rate, seven states had decreases, and 16 states had no change. Of the 18 states with statistically reliable heroin overdose death rates (i.e., rates based on at least 20 deaths), 15 states reported increases. Decreases in OPR death rates were not associated with increases in heroin death rates. The findings indicate a need for intensified prevention efforts aimed at reducing overdose deaths from all types of opioids while recognizing the demographic differences between the heroin and OPR-using populations. Efforts to prevent expansion of the number of OPR users who might use heroin when it is available should continue.

FIGURE 1

Absolute change in heroin overdose death rates* compared with change in prescription opioid pain reliever (OPR) overdose death rates — 18 states, 2010 to 2012^† * Rate change per 100,000 persons (r = 0.47, p = 0.05). Rates based on fewer than 20 deaths in a year are considered unstable and not shown. Marker is proportional in size to the 2012 population of the state it represents. ^† Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.

FIGURE 2

Death rates* from overdoses of heroin or prescription opioid pain relievers (OPRs), by age group and race/ethnicity — 28 states, 2012 * Crude (unadjusted) rate per 100,000 population. Based on bridged-race population estimates for 28 states, available at http://wonder.cdc.gov/bridged-race-v2012.html.