Intentional Drug Overdose Deaths in the United States

During 1999–2019, age-adjusted rates of U.S. drug-involved overdose deaths more than tripled from 6.1 to 21.6 per 100,000 (1), and suicide rates (driven primarily by firearm suicide) increased 35.2% from 10.5 to 13.9 per 100,000 (2). However, no existing studies examined differences in trends in intentional overdose deaths by age, race/ethnicity, and sex, compared with firearm deaths by suicide (2–4). Furthermore, variations of intentional overdose deaths by month and day of the week are unknown. Nevertheless, knowing these can help inform prevention and intervention efforts. Thus, we examined 1) What are differences in national trends in intentional overdose deaths by age, race/ethnicity, and sex, compared with firearm deaths by suicide? and 2) What are variations of U.S. intentional overdose deaths by month and day of the week and by sex?