Opioid Overdose Related Emergency Department Visits

Why Is This Important?

Mortality is just one, and the most extreme, of the health outcomes associated with drug abuse. In the U.S., between 2004 and 2009, there has been a 98.4% increase in emergency department (ED) visits related to misuse or abuse of prescription drugs, particularly opioids. [[br]][[br]] ---- {{class .SmallerFont Paulozzi, L. J., Jones, C. M., Mack, K. A., & Rudd, R. A. [2011]. "Vital Signs: Overdoses of prescription opioid pain relievers-United States," 1999-2008. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 60[43], 6). In NM, the emergency department dataset (EDD) is collected in accordance with the NM Public Health Act and New Mexico Administrative Code 7.4.3.10. }}

Definition

The number of emergency department visits for drug overdose, that is, ED encounters with any diagnosis of opioid overdose (ICD-9 codes ) Rates have been age-adjusted to the US 2000 standard population.

Data Sources

• Emergency Department (ED) dataset, Health Systems Epidemiology Program, New Mexico Department of Health
• New Mexico Population Estimates: University of New Mexico, Geospatial and Population Studies (GPS) Program.
  (http://gps.unm.edu/)

How the Measure is Calculated

How Are We Doing?

Drug use can result in overdose death and is also associated with other societal problems including crime, violence, homelessness, loss of productivity and spread of blood-borne disease such as HIV and hepatitis. Unintentional drug overdose is the largest

Other Objectives

Substance Abuse Epidemiology Report Indicator

More Resources

The New Mexico Department of Health Substance Abuse Epidemiology Section has New Mexico-specific reports, resources and publications, available at: nmhealth.org/about/erd/ibeb/sap. CDC Alcohol Program has fact sheets, online tool kits, data and recently