Email UpdatesFrom 2019 to 2020, drug overdose deaths increased 30% in the United States, reaching 91,799.[1] In 2021, drug overdose deaths reached an estimated all-time high of 107,622.[2] To recognize and remember those lost to drug overdose, President Biden proclaimed August 28 through September 3, 2022, as Overdose Awareness Week.
Key federal strategies for reducing overdose risks and lowering barriers to treatment and support include:
- Overdose Prevention Strategy - Department of Health & Human Services
- Overdose Prevention Framework - Food and Drug Administration
See the AHRQ Academy for Integrating Behavioral Health and Primary Care for additional overdose awareness and prevention resources:
- Fentanyl: A Key Factor in Soaring Overdose Deaths
- Health Inequities Worsen Disparities in Overdose Death Rates
- Literature Collection - Published and Grey Literature on Overdose
[1] Kariisa M, Davis NL, Kumar S, et al. Vital Signs: Drug overdose deaths, by selected sociodemographic and social determinants of health characteristics — 25 States and the District of Columbia, 2019–2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022;71:940–947. http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7129e2
[2] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Health Statistics. U.S. Overdose Deaths In 2021 Increased Half as Much as in 2020 – But Are Still Up 15%. 2022, May 5. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2022/202205.htm