Alcohol and Drug-Related Overdose Deaths in Maryland: 1997-2001

• NCJ Number: 204641
• Author(s): Dana M. Lehder; Amelia Arria; E. Erin Artigiani; Eric D. Wish
• Date Published: November 2002
• Length: 23 pages
• Sale Source: NCJRS Photocopy Services; Ctr for Substance Abuse Research (CESAR)
• Publication Format: Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Downloaded on March 17, 2004.

Annotation

This report summarizes the analyses of 5 years of data (1997-2001) on alcohol and drug-related deaths obtained from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Maryland, providing trend information.

Abstract

In the United States in the year 2000, there were an estimated 34,391 deaths as a result of alcohol poisoning, drug overdoses, the ingestion of a combination of alcohol and drugs, and other related illnesses. In Maryland, in the year 2000, there were 930 alcohol and drug-related deaths. This report focuses on a subsample of these deaths, specifically overdose deaths in Maryland (n=559). The study examined the trends in overdose deaths from 1997 to 2001 focusing on the frequency and pattern of overdose deaths. Through this analysis of trends in overdose deaths, there is the ability to identify potential emerging drug problems for vulnerable subpopulations. The report contains two major sections. First, the Data Sources/Research Methodology section provides a detailed description of the source of data for the report. The second section, the Results, is divided into three parts: overall overdose deaths, single drug mentions, and multiple drug mentions. In addition, specific demographic characteristics of the descendents of the more common types of overdose deaths are described. Report highlights include: (1) in 2001, there were 559 overdose deaths associated with alcohol and/or illicit drugs in Maryland; (2) during 1997-2001, overall overdose deaths increased 16 percent; (3) in 2001, two-thirds of the deaths were attributable to overdose of a single drug; (4) in 2001, narcotics were the most commonly mentioned drug in overdose deaths; (5) the highest proportion (nearly three-quarters in 2001) of overdose deaths was concentrated among individuals age 31 to 50; (6) the increase in overdose deaths among Whites has been greater than among Blacks since 1997; (7) Baltimore City and Central Maryland regions account for about 80 percent of all overdose deaths each year; and (8) although small in number, there was a notable increase in methadone-related overdose deaths observed, from 2 to 21 deaths from 1997 to 2001 with females accounting for almost 40 percent of these deaths in 2001. Tables, figures, and appendix