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Suicide deaths with opioid poisoning in the United States
1999-2014
Braden, J. B., Edlund, M. J., & Sullivan, M. D. (2017). Suicide deaths with opioid poisoning in the United States: 1999-2014. American Journal of Public Health, 107(3), 421-426. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2016.303591
Objectives. To describe trends in suicides with opioid poisoning noted as a contributing cause of death.
Methods. Using National Vital Statistics data (1999-2014), we calculated age-adjusted rates of suicide with opioid poisoning (International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes T40.0-T40.4) per 100 000 population per year and annual percentage change (APC) in rates. We used Joinpoint regression to examine trends in suicide rates and proportion of suicides involving opioids.
Results. The annual age-adjusted death rate from suicide with opioid poisoning as a contributing cause of death increased from 0.3 per 100 000 in 1999 to 0.7 per 100 000 in 2009 (APC = 8.1%; P
Conclusions. Opioid involvement in suicides has doubled since 1999. These analyses underscore the need for health care providers to assess suicidal risk in patients receiving opioids.
