The Opioid Epidemic Might Be Even Worse Than We Realize
▻http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2017/08/the_opioid_epidemic_might_be_even_worse_than_we_realize.html
Headlines about the opioid epidemic come with often staggering reports of the numbers of deaths, of overdoses, and of lives saved by Naloxone. According to data released from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 52,404 total deaths in 2015, or 144 drug overdose deaths per day. Overdoses are now considered the leading cause of death of people under the age of 50, according to a New York Times analysis using preliminary data.
As staggering as those numbers are, though, there are many reasons to believe the numbers we have are unreliable. One recent study estimated that due to variations from state to state in filling out death certificates, opioid deaths may be underreported nationally as much as 24 percent. If that is true, it’s dangerous: It means that we aren’t fully grasping what is already considered an epidemic or responding appropriately. To help fight this epidemic, we need numbers that are accurate and reflective of the current moment. Community-based coalitions can have a stronger impact if they have access to timely, accurate data that reflect the situation on the ground.
In April, the CDC presented a report explaining that opioid-related deaths might be underestimated for several reasons. For one thing, many autopsies show pneumonia as the cause even when the toxicology report shows a high level of opioids in the body. Furthermore, coroners’ guidelines state that a death can only be classified as an overdose if the toxicology report shows a certain blood level. That may seem reasonable, but drug levels can drop fairly quickly after death. If the medical examiner doesn’t do the autopsy soon enough, the toxicology report may not be accurate. In addition, rural counties faced with strained budgets don’t always do toxicology reports due to cost, and without a toxicology report, a death can’t be labeled as an opioid overdose.
Lastly, lots of people die in ways that are related—but difficult to formally connect—to opioid addiction, like suicide or car accidents caused by driving while under the influence.