JAMA Psychiatry

Stark racial disparities observed in fentanyl overdose deaths

November 8, 2024

American Indian or Alaska Native and Black individuals bear a disproportionate burden of fentanyl overdose deaths, a study found.

Researchers analyzed crude mortality rates per 100,000 individuals from the WONDER Multiple Cause of Death database for fentanyl overdoses between 2010 and 2022, stratifying the data by race, ethnicity, sex, and co-involved drugs.

In 2022, fentanyl overdoses resulted in 73,838 deaths, with the highest rates among American Indian or Alaska Native individuals (42.59 per 100,000). Black individuals saw the largest relative increase in overdose rates, rising from 0.36 in 2010 to 35.93 per 100,000 in 2022. Nearly half of fentanyl overdose deaths among Black individuals involved cocaine, while methamphetamine was a common co-involved substance among American Indian or Alaska Native individuals.

Source:

Zhu DT. (2024, November 6). JAMA Psychiatry. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Fentanyl and Polysubstance Overdose Deaths. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39504001/