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Drug Overdose Deaths in Adults

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Drug Overdose Deaths in Adults in the United States.

Introduction

Each year there have been many people die due to drug overdoses. Drug overdoses

among adults are a worldwide issue increasing the mortality rate in many countries (Kedia et al.,

2020). An overdose is when a human feeds his body with much substance. Overdose is either

accidental or intentional. People both take overdoes on illicit drugs and prescribed drugs.

Overdose is fatal, and if medication is provided quickly, it leads to death since the body is

overwhelmed by too many drugs it is fed with. Illicit drugs are the most common drugs people

use in excess.

Young adults are the most affected people, and many deaths have been reported. Each

year, many young people die even before fulfilling their dreams due to illicit overdoses. There

are still many people who also die due to prescribed drugs overdoses. This is the population of

young adults who do not abuse drugs but face an overwhelming situation that leads to drug

overdoses. There is a need for health promotion to address the crisis. The study explores drugs

overdose in young adults.

Target population

The target population in this study is young adults in the United States. In 2020, nearly

56,000 young people died out of drug overdoses in the United States. Both prescribed opioids

and illicit substances caused the death. According to data collected by the national center of

health statistics, the death graph of people who died due to drug overdoses has been rising since

1999. In 2019, the United States recorded 70630 death of people due to drug overdoses. It

increased by 4 percent in 2018 (Macmadu et al., 2017). The most commonly used drug in the
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United States is opioids which account for 70.6 percent death of death recorded due to drug

overdoses. The year 2020 recorded the highest number of death in adults.

Summary of articles

Modeling dynamics of fatal opioid overdose by state and across time

The risk factor leading to the use of heroin among adults is the past use of prescribed

opioids. After misusing opioids, they become drug dependent and due to strict regulations to

obtain opioids, they supplement the drug with heroin. The other reason contributing to the use of

heroin in the United States is its low cost compared to opioids. The article noted guiding federal

policymaking would be guided by the state's understanding of the fatal effect of opioids

overdose. The author concludes by proposing that policy formulation and implementation would

curb the high mortality rate caused by drug overdoses in the state. The author noted that policy

enhancing the access to Medicaid, naloxone law and medical marijuana legalization policy

would play a vital role in impacting fatal overdoses (Lyle Cooper et al., 2020). Finally, the study

noted that the lack of Medicaid increased the high death rate caused by opioid overdoses.

Evaluation of Increases in Drug Overdose Mortality Rates in the US by Race and Ethnicity

Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The study noted that the most affected population was black people in the United States,

followed by Alaska native persons and American Indians. The illicit drug overdoses crisis in the

United States is caused by an increased toxic drug supply, as indicated by the study. The study

results showed that the most affected population is the racial and marginalized community in the

state. According to the study, Latino and Hispanic persons in the state also had a high drug

overdose of 40.1 percent in 2020 (Friedman & Hansen, 2022). The study summaries its findings
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by noting that 2020 indicated the highest mortality rate for all assessed ethnic and racial groups

compared to previous years.

Intentional Drug Overdose Deaths in the United States

The article noted that intentional overdoses deaths were reported from people between 15

to 24 years. It indicated increased suicidal attempts, plans and ideation among young people,

which requires interventions. Seasonal patterns influenced intentional overdoses for males and

females. The study noted that day length plays a role in intentional overdoses (Han, 2022). On

the other hand, the study indicated that cultural and social factors play a role in lowering

intentional overdose death. This was observed in December, which recorded fewer deaths due to

intentional overdose for males and females. Sundays also recorded lower intentional overdoses.

These patterns lay off a better ground for effective policies to intervene and prevent intentional

overdose deaths.

Heath Promotion Discussion

There is a need to develop different approaches to reduce the mortality rate due to drugs

overdoses in the United States. There is a need for the federal government to create regulations

that will curb the supply of toxic drugs in the state; hence racial and ethnic groups will be unable

to access poisonous medicines. The other approach is to improve and increase Medicaid, quickly

responding to overdoses cases in the state to reduce drug overdoses deaths (Penm et al., 2017).

The other approach addresses the issue of the parent-children relationship and the time they

spend together. From the above study, social factors play a role in lowering intentional drug

overdose. Lastly is vital to have a drug overdose awareness program to educate young people

and adults on the dangers of a drugs overdose.

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Conclusion

The mortality rate due to drugs overdose has been increasing since 1999. The drug

overdose crisis affects both males and females in the United States. The most affected racial

population is black Americans, who recorded the highest death rate in 2020 contributed to drug

overdoses. Young adults are the ones most affected where social and cultural factors play a role

in lowering the overdoses crisis, as noted by the study conducted in 2019. Different approaches

to address the United States' crisis are; policy formulation, creation of awareness, and increased

Medicaid.
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References

Friedman, J. R., & Hansen, H. (2022). Evaluation of Increases in Drug Overdose Mortality Rates

in the US by Race and Ethnicity Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA

psychiatry. https://doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2022.0004

Han, B., Compton, W. M., Einstein, E. B., Cotto, J., Hobin, J. A., Stein, J. B., & Volkow, N. D.

(2022). Intentional Drug Overdose Deaths in the United States. American Journal of

Psychiatry, 179(2), 163-165. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2021.21060604

Kedia, S., Ahuja, N., Wyant, D. K., Dillon, P. J., Akkus, C., & Relyea, G. (2020). Compositional

and contextual factors associated with drug overdose deaths in the United States. Journal of

Addictive Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1080/10550887.2020.1729079

Lyle Cooper, R., Thompson, J., Edgerton, R., Watson, J., MacMaster, S. A., Kalliny, M.,

Huffman, M. M., Juarez, P., Mathews-Juarez, P., Tabatabai, M., & Singh, K. P. (2020).

Modeling dynamics of fatal opioid overdose by state and across time. Preventive Medicine

Reports. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2020.101184

Macmadu, A., Carroll, J. J., Hadland, S. E., Green, T. C., & Marshall, B. D. L. (2017).

Prevalence and correlates of fentanyl-contaminated heroin exposure among young adults

who use prescription opioids non-medically. Addictive Behaviors.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.01.014

Penm, J., MacKinnon, N. J., Boone, J. M., Ciaccia, A., McNamee, C., & Winstanley, E. L.

(2017). Strategies and policies to address the opioid epidemic: A case study of Ohio.

Journal of the American Pharmacists Association.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.japh.2017.01.001
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