The U.S. drug overdose epidemic is driving a rise in premature deaths across the country, according to a new report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
The report analyzes this year's County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. The rankings show more Americans aged 15 to 44 are dying, driving a rise in premature deaths nationwide, according to the report. Specifically, the rankings show 85 percent of the increase in premature deaths from 2014 to 2015 can be attributed to an increase in deaths among this age group.
Additionally, the rankings show drug overdose is the leading cause of death among Americans aged 25 to 44, according to the report. "Drug deaths are also accelerating among 15- to 24-year-olds, but nearly three times as many people in this age group die by homicide, suicide or in motor vehicle crashes," the report states.
The report notes drug overdose deaths are particularly on the rise in suburban areas of the country. Ten years ago, those areas had the lowest rates of premature death due to drug overdoses but now have the highest, according to the report. The rate went up on average 5.4 percent annually between 2006 and 2015. "Smaller metro and rural counties also have higher rates of premature death due to drug overdoses," the report notes.