The Burden of Opioid-Related Mortality in Texas, 1999 to 2019.

Abstract

PURPOSE\nTo examine and quantify the burden of opioid-related mortality utilizing a serial cross-sectional design of individuals 15 to 64 years of age whose death was related to opioid use from January 1, 1999, to January 31, 2019.\n\n\nMETHODS\nData was obtained from the CDC WONDER Multiple Cause of Death Online Database, which captures mortality and population estimates across the United States stratified by geography, age, sex, race, and ethnicity. The burden of opioid-related deaths in Texas was evaluated as the proportion of all deaths attributable to this underlying cause of death over the study period and years of potential life lost (YPLL).\n\n\nRESULTS\nResults revealed that between 1999 and 2019, 19,039 opioid-related deaths occurred among persons age 15 to 64, resulting in an increase of 402% over the study period (from 3.8 per 100,000 in 1999 to 8.2 per 100,000 in 2019). In 2019, the number of opioid-related deaths was highest among males (67.1%), non-Hispanic whites (76.0%), and adults aged 25-54 (74.1%). Overall, in Texas in 2019, opioid-related deaths resulted in 51,743 years of potential life lost (3.2 YPLL per 1000) most of which were among males (36,318 YPLL). Additionally, premature mortality due to opioids was highest among adults aged 25 to 34 years (5.1 YPLL per 1000) , and those aged 35 to 44 years (3.8 YPLL per 1000).\n\n\nCONCLUSIONS\nWe identified a steady yet significant rise in opioid-related mortality in Texas since 1999 and in particular among demographic groups considered at relatively high risk for midlife mortality. This study is also considered the first of its kind to quantify the burden of premature mortality related to opioid overdoses in Texas.