RI Early Mortality: Spike In Drug Deaths Are One Reason

JOHNSTON, RI—Americans made gains improving their health from 1990 to 2015, but those advances could be wiped out due to drug overdoses and cardiovascular disease, a new study from the United Health Foundation has found. In fact, early mortality (meaning deaths before age 75) have been on the increase for the past three years, even in states ranked among the nation's healthiest like Massachusetts (1), New Hampshire (8) and Rhode Island (11).

The study blamed drug deaths and cardiovascular disease for causing most premature deaths. Also a factor, the states are not all equal when it comes to access to health care.

Rhode Island and Massachusetts are doing well for health care providers. They can claim 200 per 100,000 population, while states like Utah and Idaho have fewer than 100.

As far as drug deaths, New Hampshire's rate climbed 118 percent in the last five years. Massachusetts jumped 69 percent since 2012, and Rhode Island's rate increased 56 percent.

By comparison, premature deaths have jumped three percent nationwide in the last two years, and cardiovascular deaths have risen two percent in the same period. But in just the last year, drug deaths have spiked seven percent.

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