Article Content

Suicides by drug overdose increased among young people, older adults, and Black women, despite an overall downward trend. Suicides by drug overdose in the United States decreased overall from 2012 to 2019; however, disparities in age, sex, and race were found in a study in the February American Journal of Psychiatry. Researchers analyzed national trends in intentional drug overdose deaths using multiple cause-of-death data from the 2001-2019 National Vital Statistics System. They found that intentional drug overdose deaths increased in men and women ages 15 to 24 and 75 to 84 and in non-Hispanic Black women. Women were consistently more likely to die from an intentional drug overdose than men; 41% more likely among 45-to-64-year-olds. Additionally, as in previous studies, the researchers found that suicides by drug overdose were more likely to occur in months with longer days and were highest on Mondays and lowest on weekends. The authors note the heightened need for prevention in those most at risk and awareness of social and environmental factors that may indicate periods of increased risk overall.