Researchers found overdose mortality rates in the United States reached an estimated 63,632 deaths in 2016, mirroring reports of increased drug overdoses in similar high-income countries, according to a study published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
For the study, researchers used the World Health Organization Mortality Database to isolate the annual number of deaths attributed to drug overdoses by country, year, age and sex from 2001-15. Researchers also limited the data to countries that had fewer than 10 percent of drug overdose deaths attributed to intentional poisoning and restricted the study population to people ages 20 to 64.
The United States had the highest drug overdose mortality rates for men (35 deaths per 100,000) and women (20 deaths per 100,000). The researchers found the mortality rates were highest for men between the ages of 35 to 49 and women aged 50 to 64. Mexico had the lowest drug overdose mortality rates for men (1 death per 100,000) and women (0.2 deaths per 100,000).
More articles on clinical leadership and infection control:
33 total adenovirus cases at New Jersey Wanaque center
Large amount of crime goes unreported in Atlanta, Grady Memorial study finds
NICU nurses' perception of daily job challenges affects patient care, study finds