STATCAST – Week of October 14, 2019

The latest monthly provisional estimates on drug overdose deaths in America were released this week from NCHS. An estimated 69,366 people died in the U.S. from drug overdoses in the 12-month period ending in March of 2019. This represents a 2.2% decline from the 12-month period a year ago. The majority of states in the U.S. showed a decline over this period, with the largest decline occurring in the state of Maine – a 22% decline. 21 states showed an increase in drug overdose deaths over this period, including Montana which had the highest estimated increase of 26%.

NCHS also released a new analysis of suicide and homicide trends in the country for 10-24 year olds. Suicide and homicide are often collectively referred to as “violent deaths,” and have consistently been a major cause of premature death to young people ages 10–24 in the United States. In 2017, suicide was the second leading cause of death for young people ages 10–14, 15–19, and 20–24, while homicide ranked third for people ages 15–19 and 20–24 and fifth for people ages 10–14.

The new report shows that suicide rates increased from 2007 to 2017, while homicide rates increased from 2014 to 2017, after declining from 2007 to 2014. The suicide rate for children ages 10-14 nearly tripled from 2007 to 2017, while homicide rates declined 18% since the year 2000 for the same age group. For young people between age 15 to 24, suicide and homicide both increased in recent years, with suicide rates increasing earlier than homicide rates.