QuickStats: Age-Adjusted Death Rates* for Drug Overdose,† by Race/Ethnicity — National Vital Statistics System, United States, 2015–2016

Weekly / March 30, 2018 / 67(12);374

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The figure above is a bar chart showing that during 2015–2016, the age-adjusted death rates from drug overdose for the total population increased from 16.3 per 100,000 standard population to 19.8 (21.5%). The rate increased from 21.1 to 25.3 (19.9%) for non-Hispanic whites, from 12.2 to 17.1 (40.2%) for non-Hispanic blacks, and from 7.7 to 9.5 (23.4%) for Hispanics.

* Deaths per 100,000 population age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population.

† As underlying cause of death, drug overdose (including accidental, intentional, assault, and undetermined intent) was identified with the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes X40-X44, X60-X64, X85, Y10-Y14. The number of drug overdose deaths was 52,404 in 2015 and 63,632 in 2016.

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During 2015–2016, the age-adjusted death rates from drug overdose for the total population increased from 16.3 per 100,000 standard population to 19.8 (21.5%). The rate increased from 21.1 to 25.3 (19.9%) for non-Hispanic whites, from 12.2 to 17.1 (40.2%) for non-Hispanic blacks, and from 7.7 to 9.5 (23.4%) for Hispanics.

Source: National Vital Statistics System, Underlying cause of death data, 1999–2016. https://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html.

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Reported by: Jiaquan Xu, MD, jiaquanxu@cdc.gov, 301-458-4086.

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For more information on this topic, CDC recommends the following link: https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/.

Suggested citation for this article: QuickStats: Age-Adjusted Death Rates for Drug Overdose, by Race/Ethnicity — National Vital Statistics System, United States, 2015–2016. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2018;67:374. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6712a9 .