Sharp Rise In Prescription Drug Deaths When Studied By County

Heather Callaghan
Activist Post

Drug poisoning is now the leading cause of injury death in the U.S. and has increased by more than 300 percent over the last three decades. Almost 90 percent of poisoning deaths can be attributed to illicit or licit drugs, with prescription drugs accounting for the majority of drug overdose deaths. A startling trend seen last decade; there were more prescription drug deaths than heroin, cocaine or crack cocaine.

Mayo clinical research found this summer that 70% of Americans are on prescription drugs with 20% of those taking multiple prescriptions. Prescription drug-related deaths have sharply risen in the past decade alone, even overtaking car accidents as leading causes of U.S. injury deaths.

A new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine gives new insight into the geographic variation in drug poisoning mortality, with both urban and rural areas showing a large increase in death rates. While previous studies have looked at drug poisoning related deaths in broad strokes, this is the first study to examine them on the county level across the entire U.S.

According to reports from the National Survey of Drug Use and Health, about 2.1 percent of Americans—or roughly 5 million people—have used prescription painkillers non-medically in the past month. The rise in drug-related deaths correlates to the increase in the non-medical use of prescription drugs, especially opioid analgesics – painkillers.

While there have been some reports that suggest the rise in deaths has been sharper in rural areas than in urban centers, it had never been fully substantiated – only purported. In this new study, investigators used small area estimation techniques to produce stable estimates of drug-related poisoning deaths at a county level, which revealed more information about how geography plays a role in death rates.

Using data obtained from the National Vital Statistics Multiple Cause of Death Files, investigators found that in 1999 only 3 percent of counties had annual drug poisoning age adjusted death rates (AADRs)* over ten per 100,000, but found that the rate rose to 54 percent of counties by 2008. Additionally, while drug poisoning AADRs increased across all geographic areas both large and small, there was a greater percentage increase for rural areas (394 percent) compared to large metropolitan counties (297 percent).

Lead investigator Dr. Lauren M. Rossen explains:

The interaction suggests that both central metropolitan and rural areas experienced similar absolute rates of increase in drug-poisoning AADRs from 1999 to 2009 and that these rates were more rapid than those seen in fringe or small metropolitan or micropolitan areas. However, since the AADRs in rural areas were substantially lower in 1999 as compared to central cities, the percentage increase was larger for rural areas over time.

The study also reveals regional trends in drug poisoning related deaths. Rossen continues:

Maps of drug-poisoning mortality over time illustrated that AADRs greater than 29 per 100,000 per year were largely concentrated in Appalachian counties in 1999-2000; by 2008-2009, counties across the entire U.S. displayed AADRs of more than 29 per 100,000 per year. These high rates could be seen in Alaska, Hawaii, the entire Pacific region, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Appalachia, the southern coasts of Louisiana and Mississippi, Florida, and across New England.

Mapping death rates associated with drug poisoning at the county level may help elucidate geographic patterns, highlight areas where drug-related poisoning deaths are higher than expected, and inform policies and programs designed to address the increase in drug-poisoning mortality and morbidity.

Why do you think drug-related deaths happen more in rural areas? Or maybe it should be questioned – why do researchers wish to emphasize rural drug abuse?

Almost in perfect tandem with this early-release study is news about the FDA beginning to crack down on prescription meds. Policies do change based on studies like these. Drug deaths are said to be on the rise with increasing sales of opioids. Patients can expect more restrictions which will affect the rural residents who are heavily watched in studies like these; and said to be more prone to illicit prescription drug-use. It looks like it’s going to be more difficult for legitimate pain-killer use for rural residents – for instance, if they have to drive regularly to the doctor’s office to get prescriptions and refills. There is a huge amount of legislation on the table currently to address an issue that some would say was created by the very people getting ready to crack down.

*Find out more about age-adjusted death rates here and here.

Heather Callaghan is a natural health blogger and food freedom activist. You can see her work at NaturalBlaze.com and ActivistPost.com. Like at Facebook.

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