Fatal overdoses in Delaware appear to be going down, but new troubling trends are emerging
At least 67 Delawareans have already fatally overdosed in the first two months of 2024, according to new data from the Delaware Environmental Public Health Tracking Network. That's more than one death every day.
And while the total suspected overdose deaths in January and February are lower than the number of fatal overdoses in those months in 2022 or 2023, Division of Public Health Substance Use Disorder epidemiologist Caroline Judd said it's too soon to tell whether the state is truly seeing a decrease.
Suspected vs. confirmed overdoses in Delaware
The number of suspected overdose deaths is just that — suspected.
The medical examiner's office will report a death as a suspected overdose based on factors like the presence of drug paraphernalia and interviews with families or acquaintances on the scene that may be able to shed light on whether the person struggled with addiction or used drugs, Judd said. However, actual toxicology reports can take months.
The suspected overdose counts are also often delayed, leading to a lower-than-actual number. Cases can come in late, Judd said, and sometimes there are lags in notifications from hospitals.
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Ultimately, the data isn't considered official until it's confirmed by the National Center for Health Care Statistics.
A finalized death report including overdoses and demographic data is typically released in May or June for the year prior. This means that the actual number for 2023 — which is currently suspected at 474 fatal overdoses — won't be available for another few months.
Past years have shown the underestimation of suspected overdoses. In 2022, the Division of Forensic Science report confirmed 38 more fatal overdoses than the 499 that were reported as suspected on the state's data dashboard. And because not all deaths are reported or autopsied, even that confirmed number may not represent the full picture.
Judd said that there's still hope in seeing that overdose deaths appear to have decreased slightly, but epidemiologists "always wait for confirmed numbers to know what the reality of the situation is."
Trends in overdose deaths in Delaware
The total number of overdose deaths is not the only area of concern for the state.
Judd said the state has seen stimulant use becoming more prevalent, as well as increased use of the tranquilizer xylazine. At the same time, heroin and prescription opioid use have gone down.
Judd said that overdose rates are also continuing to rise among Black Delawareans as well as the state's older population, following a trend that was confirmed in DFS's annual report last year. It's why many of the state's latest overdose prevention initiatives are focused specifically on reducing deaths, connecting people to treatment and funding minority-led initiatives in marginalized communities.
Joanna Champney, director of the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, said the division is renewing its Health Equity Advancement Project, which provided $50,000 to local organizations in July to bolster efforts to collect more data on substance use disorder in minority communities and implement culturally specific engagement strategies.
There is also a wider push to get doctors and other health care providers to screen patients for opioid use disorder, similarly to how they screen for depression. This will help identify more people who are struggling, Champney said, and provide a new avenue to connect people to treatment.
Other areas of focus for DSAMH include addressing the link between substance abuse and mental illness, identifying higher-risk areas to ensure harm reduction resources go where they're most needed and connecting uninsured Delawareans to treatment.
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How to find help
Delaware Hope Line: 833-9-HOPEDE for free 24/7 counseling, coaching and support, as well as links to mental health, addiction and crisis services. Resources also can be found on the Help is Here website.
Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988
SAMHSA National Helpline: 800-662-HELP (4357) for free 24/7 substance abuse disorder treatment referral services. Treatment service locators also are available online at findtreatment.samhsa.gov or via text message by sending your ZIP code to 435748.
Send story tips or ideas to Hannah Edelman at [email protected]. For more reporting, follow them on X at @h_edelman.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware overdose death data shows continued impact of opioid crisis
