Accidental Overdose Deaths in Oklahoma, 2002-2017: Opioid and Methamphetamine Trends

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Toxicology

Background:

• Accidental drug overdose deaths represent a significant public health crisis.
• Opioid and methamphetamine overdoses have distinct epidemiological trends.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze trends in accidental overdose deaths in Oklahoma from 2002 to 2017.
• To specifically examine the roles of opioids and methamphetamine in these fatalities.

Main Methods:

• Review of all accidental drug overdose deaths in Oklahoma (2002-2017).
• Categorization of opioids into: all opioids, prescription opioids, synthetic opioids, and heroin.
• Calculation and analysis of age-adjusted death rates for methamphetamine and opioid categories.

Main Results:

• Opioids were implicated in 62.9% of 9,936 overdose deaths; prescription opioids were most common (53.8%).
• Methamphetamine involvement increased by 1,526.7% overall and 402.2% from 2009-2017.
• Methamphetamine (1,963 deaths) surpassed oxycodone (1,724 deaths) as the most frequent drug in overdoses.

Conclusions:

• Opioid-related overdose deaths in Oklahoma have slowed, contrasting with a sharp rise in methamphetamine fatalities.
• Public health strategies may need to address the increasing threat of methamphetamine in overdose deaths.