title: 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.
authors.forename: Rose A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Rudd
authors.forename: Len J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Paulozzi
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Burleson
authors.forename: Rick E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Carlson
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dao
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dudek
authors.forename: Beth Ann
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Eichler
authors.forename: Jessie C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fondario
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gabella
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hume
authors.forename: Theron
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Huntamer
authors.forename: Mbabazi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kariisa
authors.forename: Thomas W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Largo
authors.forename: JoAnne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miles
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Newmyer
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nitcheva
authors.forename: Beatriz E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.forename: Scott K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Proescholdbell
authors.forename: Jennifer C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Sabel
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Skiba
authors.forename: Svetla
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Slavova
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Tharp
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wendling
authors.forename: Dagan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Zehner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000208:ethnology / Q000401:mortality*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D003932:Heroin / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003932:Heroin