Deaths From Drugs, Suicide Up In Pennsylvania: Analysis

The number of Americans dying from drugs, alcohol and suicide reached a record high in 2017, with the increase in deaths from synthetic opioids and suicides being particularly alarming, a new analysis says.

According to the Pain In The Nation report, prepared jointly by Trust For America's Health and Well Being Trust, more than 150,000 Americans died from alcohol, drugs and suicide in 2017. That's twice the number of people that died from the same causes in 1999.

In Pennsylvania, more than 8,200 people died from alcohol, drugs and suicide in 2017— up 11 percent over 2016. The highest increase at the state level was deaths from drugs. In comparison, the national rate for deaths attributed to alcohol, drugs and suicide increased 6 percent between 2016 and 2017.

The data used in the report comes from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics.

In Pennsylvania, the following deaths were reported in 2017:

Alcohol, drugs and suicide: 8,208 (up 11 percent from 2016)
Alcohol: 930 (down 1 percent from 2016)
Drugs: 5,495 (up 15 percent from 2016)
Suicide: 2,030 (up 3 percent from 2016)

“I think that the main takeaway is that it’s increasing at disturbing rates and it’s at a historic high,” said John Auerbach, CEO of Trust for America’s Health. Auerbach said what they would like to see is a leveling off and then a decrease in the numbers, with the decrease being the priority.

“The fact that it’s still growing and increasing and doing so at a disturbing pace is our main concern,” said Auerbach.

The analysis found that the increase has affected some groups and geographical areas more than others.

• For those between the ages of 35-54, the rate of death by alcohol, drugs and suicide was 72.4 per 100,000 in 2017.
• For all men, the rate was 68.2 per 100,000 in 2017.
• Among West Virginia residents, the rate was 91 per 100,000 and in New Mexico, the rate was 77 per 100,000 in 2017. The two states had the highest rate of deaths by drugs, alcohol and suicide while Texas and Mississippi had the lowest rates.

Synthetic Opioids

The report says that the increase in deaths from synthetic opioid overdoses and suicides in 2017 was particularly alarming. The number of Americans that died by suicide in 2017 was likely the highest ever, the report says. A breakdown of data specific to Pennsylvania was not included in the report, however, it states that more than a thousand Americans died from synthetic opioid overdoses every two weeks in 2017. Synthetic opioid overdoses were also associated with 38 percent of all drug deaths. Overall, the rate of death by synthetic opioids was 8.7 per 100,000 in 2017.

Auerbach said that unlike prescription opioids, it is not easy to estimate the amount of synthetic opioids you would have to take to get high. On top of that, synthetic opioids are so much more powerful that if they’re mixed into heroin, the amount someone is used to taking might kill them.

“That’s the complexity of it,” said Auerbach. “So it’s just hard to estimate.”

Suicides

Between 2016 and 2017, the rate of Americans who died by suicide increased 4 percent and between 2008 to 2017, the rate increased 22 percent. Suicides by firearms accounted for 51 percent of all suicides, the report says.

The increase in suicides over the past decade touched every region of the country, the report says.

The report also highlighted the increase in deaths by suicide among children and adolescents.

Auerbach said that suicides among children are still very rare but not as rare among adolescents. The report classifies the rate of suicide deaths among children and adolescents in one figure. Between 2016 and 2017, the rate increased 16 percent, according to the report.

Suicide deaths in children and adolescents often involve trauma, bullying, a fear of violence, depression or a feeling of isolation, Auerbach said. Part of solving the problem is understanding the root cause and providing children and adolescents with tools for resiliency, problem-solving skills and reducing stress.

Alcohol

The rate of Americans who died from alcohol-related causes increased 2 percent between 2016 and 2017, the smallest increase since 2008-2009. But between 2008-2017, the rate of alcohol-related deaths increased 38 percent.

“To be seeing that go up consistently year after year is a sign that people are turning to it as a kind of self-medication, to deal with factors that are causing them pain,” Auerbach said.

The report recommends solutions like increasing funding and support for programs that reduce risk factors and promote resilience in children, families and communities. It also calls for more access to treatment and support for policies that support safe storage of medications and firearms.

“Deaths from the alcohol, drugs, and suicide are the end result of complicated and deep-seated problems in communities that require long-term initiatives and investments in a range of policies and programs,” the report says.

You can read the full report here.