Increases from 2002 to 2015 in prescription opioid overdose deaths in combination with other substances.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Prescription opioid (PO) overdose deaths increased sharply over the last decade. Changes in PO deaths in combination with other psychoactive substances may provide a partial explanation.

Methods

PO deaths from the National Multiple-Cause-of-Death Files for 2002-03 (N=15,973) and 2014-15 (N=41,491) were analyzed. We calculated (1) changes in proportions of deaths in combination with benzodiazepines, antidepressants, heroin, alcohol, cocaine between the two periods, and (2) proportions of increase in deaths attributable to each substance among PO and synthetic opioids other than methadone (SO-M) deaths, by age, gender, race/ethnicity.

Results

Between 2002-03 and 2014-15, PO deaths increased 2.6 times; SO-M deaths 5.6 times, especially for ages 18-34, males, A

SUBMITTER: Kandel DB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5568115 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature