NCJ Number
196816
Date Published
2002
Length
469 pages
Annotation
This book presents data from the 2001 estimates of the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), which relies on a sample of hospitals operating 24-hour emergency departments (EDs) to obtain data on ED visits induced by or related to substance abuse.
Abstract
The probability sample of hospital EDs is designed to produce representative estimates of ED drug episodes and drug mentions for the coterminous United States and 21 metropolitan areas. The data presented constitute final estimates for 2001, and they replace preliminary estimates for the first half of 2001. In 2001 there were 638,484 drug-related ED episodes in the coterminous United States, a rate of 252 ED episodes per 100,000 population. On average, 1.8 drugs were reported per episode for a total of 1,165,367 drug mentions. ED drug mentions and ED drug episodes each increased 6 percent from 2000 to 2001. Eight of every 10 ED drug mentions came from only 7 categories: alcohol-in-combination, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, benzodiazepines, antidepressants, and analgesics. In 2001 alcohol-in-combination was a factor in 34 percent of ED drug episodes, cocaine in 30 percent, marijuana in 17 percent, and heroin in 15 percent. Together, the benzodiazepines, antidepressants, and analgesics constituted nearly 30 percent of total ED drug mentions. From 2000 to 2001, significant increases in drug episodes were found in 5 of the 21 metropolitan areas oversampled in DAWN. Data are provided for each major substance of abuse, as well as for psychotherapeutic agents, Central Nervous System (CNS) agents, and new drugs. Data are also presented on the demographic characteristics of those coming to EDs because of drug episodes, as well as episode characteristics. Extensive tables and figures