2017-2018 Synthetic Opioids Overdose Data

Statistically significant changes in drug overdose death rates*involving heroin§ by select states,¶ United States, 2018 to 2019. Note: Rate comparisons between states should not be made due to variations in reporting across states.

* Deaths are classified using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD–10). Drug overdose deaths are identified using underlying cause-of-death codes X40–X44, X60–X64, X85, and Y10–Y14. Rates are age-adjusted using the direct method and the 2000 U.S. standard population, except for age-specific crude rates. All rates are per 100,000 population.

§ Drug overdose deaths, as defined, that have heroin (T40.1) as a contributing cause.

¶ Analyses were limited to states meeting the following criteria: For states with very good to excellent reporting, ≥90% of drug overdose deaths mention at least one specific drug in 2018, with the change in drug overdose deaths mentioning of at least one specific drug differing by <10 percentage points between 2018 and 2019. States with good reporting had 80% to <90% of drug overdose deaths mention at least one specific drug in 2018, with the change in the percentage of drug overdose deaths mentioning at least one specific drug differing by <10 percentage points between 2018 and 2019. States included were also required to have stable rate estimates, i.e., based on ≥20 deaths, in at least two drug categories (i.e., opioids, prescription opioids, synthetic opioids other than methadone, and heroin).