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Round 2 Topic: Illegal Drugs and Naloxone (Narcan) Awareness
Rapid Surveys from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) collect timely, relevant data on topics of public health importance. Surveys are conducted several times a year using probability-based commercial online panels. Each survey includes a unique set of questions about different public health topics. Data collection for Round 2 occurred during October—November 2023.
This page includes estimates in dashboard and table formats. Estimates for illegal drugs and naloxone (Narcan) awareness include indicators such as the percentage of adults ages 18 and older who have ever heard of naloxone or currently carry it, believe naloxone should be in various public places such as in work or school settings, and who knew naloxone was available in various community and health care provider locations. Also included are measures of concern about ingredients in prescription medications that are available online without a prescription and level of agreement with certain opinions or beliefs about illegal drugs.
Select the buttons at the top of the dashboard to view bar chart and data table. Use the drop-down menus to show data for selected indicators or demographic variables.
| Ever ordered prescription medication online without a prescription | Never ordered prescription medication online without a prescription | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Not at all concerned | A little or somewhat concerned | Very concerned | Total | Not at all concerned | A little or somewhat concerned | Very concerned | |
| Characteristic | Percent (95% confidence interval) | Percent (95% confidence interval) | ||||||
| Total | 100 | 37.9 (30.2–46.2) | 54.7 (46.0–63.3) | * | 100 | 9.7 (8.8–10.7) | 35.5 (34.1–36.9) | 54.8 (53.3–56.2) |
| Age group | ||||||||
| 18–44 | 100 | 30.6 (20.1–42.7) | 59.3 (45.6–72.0) | * | 100 | 12.7 (11.0–14.5) | 42.0 (39.6–44.4) | 45.3 (42.9–47.8) |
| 45–64 | 100 | 47.5 (34.6–60.6) | 50.6 (37.6–63.6) | * | 100 | 8.5 (7.1–10.1) | 34.0 (31.6–36.4) | 57.5 (55.1–59.9) |
| 65 and older | 100 | 47.7 (33.3–62.5) | 45.9 (31.6–60.7) | * | 100 | 5.4 (4.2–6.8) | 24.2 (21.9–26.5) | 70.4 (68.0–72.9) |
| Gender | ||||||||
| Female | 100 | 33.2 (22.6–45.3) | 56.0 (42.2–69.2) | * | 100 | 7.8 (6.7–9.0) | 31.5 (29.7–33.4) | 60.7 (58.8–62.7) |
| Male | 100 | 42.1 (31.8–53.0) | 53.6 (42.5–64.4) | * | 100 | 11.8 (10.3–13.5) | 39.7 (37.6–41.8) | 48.5 (46.3–50.6) |
| Race and Hispanic origin | ||||||||
| Hispanic | 100 | * | * | * | 100 | 14.1 (11.3–17.3) | 41.1 (37.2–45.2) | 44.7 (40.8–48.7) |
| Black or African American, non-Hispanic | 100 | * | * | * | 100 | 14.7 (11.2–18.6) | 26.8 (22.8–31.2) | 58.5 (53.8–63.1) |
| White, non-Hispanic | 100 | 42.6 (32.1–53.7) | 52.6 (41.4–63.6) | * | 100 | 7.6 (6.6–8.7) | 34.7 (33.1–36.4) | 57.7 (56.0–59.4) |
| Other single or multiple races, non-Hispanic | 100 | * | * | * | 100 | 9.7 (6.6–13.7) | 44.7 (39.0–50.5) | 45.6 (40.0–51.2) |
| Education | ||||||||
| High school degree or GED or less | 100 | 29.3 (17.1–44.1) | * | * | 100 | 12.5 (10.7–14.4) | 36.9 (34.4–39.5) | 50.6 (47.9–53.3) |
| Some college | 100 | 41.2 (28.9–54.3) | 51.5 (38.5–64.3) | * | 100 | 8.9 (7.3–10.7) | 33.2 (30.6–35.8) | 57.9 (55.2–60.6) |
| Bachelor’s degree or higher | 100 | 45.9 (33.3–58.9) | 48.5 (35.8–61.4) | * | 100 | 7.4 (6.1–8.9) | 35.8 (33.6–38.0) | 56.8 (54.5–59.1) |
| Household income as a percentage of the federal poverty level | ||||||||
| Less than 100% FPL | 100 | * | * | * | 100 | 18.3 (14.4–22.6) | 35.1 (30.6–39.9) | 46.6 (42.0–51.2) |
| 100% to less than 200% FPL | 100 | * | * | * | 100 | 10.0 (7.8–12.7) | 36.8 (33.2–40.5) | 53.2 (49.5–56.8) |
| 200% and greater FPL | 100 | 42.8 (33.3–52.9) | 54.9 (44.9–64.7) | * | 100 | 8.1 (7.1–9.2) | 35.2 (33.6–36.9) | 56.6 (54.9–58.3) |
| Region | ||||||||
| Northeast | 100 | * | * | * | 100 | 8.8 (6.6–11.5) | 33.2 (29.9–36.6) | 58.0 (54.4–61.4) |
| Midwest | 100 | * | * | * | 100 | 8.7 (7.0–10.6) | 37.5 (34.5–40.5) | 53.9 (50.8–56.9) |
| South | 100 | 37.0 (25.8–49.3) | 57.0 (44.8–68.6) | * | 100 | 10.2 (8.6–12.0) | 35.5 (33.3–37.9) | 54.2 (51.7–56.7) |
| West | 100 | 31.1 (18.1–46.7) | * | * | 100 | 10.6 (8.7–12.7) | 35.4 (32.4–38.4) | 54.0 (51.0–57.0) |
| Urbanicity | ||||||||
| Large central metro | 100 | 39.5 (27.5–52.5) | 58.9 (45.9–71.0) | * | 100 | 11.9 (10.0–13.9) | 35.1 (32.5–37.8) | 53.0 (50.3–55.8) |
| Large fringe metro | 100 | * | * | * | 100 | 8.5 (6.7–10.6) | 35.2 (32.3–38.2) | 56.3 (53.2–59.4) |
| Medium and small metro | 100 | 32.4 (19.5–47.6) | * | * | 100 | 9.8 (8.2–11.5) | 37.1 (34.6–39.7) | 53.1 (50.4–55.8) |
| Nonmetropolitan | 100 | * | * | * | 100 | 7.3 (5.2–9.9) | 33.1 (29.3–37.0) | 59.6 (55.6–63.6) |
*Estimate is not shown, as it does not meet NCHS standards of reliability.
NOTES: GED = general educational development certificate. FPL = federal poverty level. Percentages may not add to totals due to rounding. All estimates shown meet the NCHS standards of reliability. See technical notes for more details.
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, Rapid Surveys System, Round 2, October–November, 2023.
| Don’t think it works | Don’t know how to use it | Don’t know where to get it | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Characteristic | Percent (95% confidence interval) | ||
| Total | 9.2 (8.2–10.2) | 60.1 (58.4–61.8) | 67.3 (65.6–68.9) |
| Age group | |||
| 18–44 | 9.6 (8.0–11.5) | 64.7 (61.9–67.5) | 72.4 (69.6–75.0) |
| 45–64 | 8.1 (6.6–9.8) | 56.1 (53.2–59.1) | 64.6 (61.7–67.4) |
| 65 and older | 9.8 (8.1–11.8) | 57.0 (54.0–59.9) | 61.8 (58.8–64.6) |
| Gender | |||
| Female | 9.8 (8.5–11.3) | 63.0 (60.7–65.3) | 70.2 (68.0–72.4) |
| Male | 8.5 (7.1–10.0) | 56.9 (54.4–59.4) | 64.0 (61.5–66.4) |
| Race and Hispanic origin | |||
| Hispanic | 13.9 (10.1–18.4) | 70.9 (65.4–76.0) | 79.9 (75.2–84.1) |
| Black or African American, non-Hispanic | 14.2 (10.2–19.0) | 58.7 (53.0–64.2) | 65.6 (59.8–71.1) |
| White, non-Hispanic | 7.9 (6.9–9.1) | 58.2 (56.2–60.1) | 64.6 (62.6–66.5) |
| Other single or multiple races, non-Hispanic | 5.7 (3.1–9.4) | 63.9 (56.8–70.5) | 75.7 (69.5–81.2) |
| Education | |||
| High school degree or GED or less | 11.4 (9.5–13.6) | 58.1 (54.6–61.6) | 64.9 (61.6–68.2) |
| Some college | 9.8 (8.1–11.9) | 59.9 (56.9–62.9) | 67.3 (64.3–70.1) |
| Bachelor’s degree or higher | 6.8 (5.6–8.2) | 62.0 (59.5–64.5) | 69.3 (66.8–71.7) |
| Household income as a percentage of the federal poverty level | |||
| Less than 100% FPL | 15.4 (11.1–20.5) | 60.7 (54.4–66.7) | 68.5 (62.5–74.2) |
| 100% to less than 200% FPL | 10.5 (7.8–13.6) | 60.0 (55.4–64.4) | 69.1 (64.7–73.1) |
| 200% and greater FPL | 8.1 (7.1–9.3) | 60.1 (58.1–62.0) | 66.7 (64.8–68.6) |
| Region | |||
| Northeast | 8.6 (6.7–10.8) | 61.7 (57.5–65.9) | 65.8 (61.9–69.6) |
| Midwest | 8.1 (6.3–10.2) | 59.4 (55.9–62.8) | 63.7 (60.4–67.0) |
| South | 10.0 (8.3–12.0) | 58.9 (56.1–61.6) | 68.8 (65.9–71.5) |
| West | 9.4 (7.4–11.8) | 61.5 (58.0–65.0) | 69.8 (66.3–73.2) |
| Urbanicity | |||
| Large central metro | 10.4 (8.5–12.7) | 65.7 (62.6–68.8) | 70.9 (67.8–73.9) |
| Large fringe metro | 7.6 (6.0–9.4) | 61.1 (57.7–64.4) | 66.6 (63.2–69.8) |
| Medium and small metro | 9.8 (8.1–11.7) | 56.7 (53.5–59.8) | 66.5 (63.5–69.4) |
| Nonmetropolitan | 8.3 (5.9–11.3) | 55.4 (51.0–59.8) | 63.5 (59.1–67.7) |
NOTES: GED = general educational development certificate. FPL = federal poverty level. These questions were asked of adults who do not carry naloxone, and ask about potential reasons why people in general (not necessarily why they, themselves) do not carry naloxone. Reasons were not mutually exclusive, and respondents may have selected more than one reason. There may be other reasons why people don’t carry naloxone other than the three questions asked in this survey. All estimates shown meet the NCHS standards of reliability. See technical notes for more details.
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, Rapid Surveys System, Round 2, October–November, 2023.
| Would be comfortable being in a committed relationship with someone who misuses prescription opioids or uses illegal drugs such as cocaine or heroin | A person who misuses prescription drugs or uses illegal drugs such as cocaine or heroin is to blame for his or her problems | Would work closely on a job with someone who misuses prescription opioids or uses illegal drugs such as cocaine or heroin | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Somewhat agree or strongly agree | Somewhat disagree or strongly disagree | Total | Somewhat agree or strongly agree | Somewhat disagree or strongly disagree | Total | Somewhat agree or strongly agree | Somewhat disagree or strongly disagree | |
| Characteristic | Percent (95% confidence interval) | Percent (95% confidence interval) | Percent (95% confidence interval) | ||||||
| Total | 100 | 6.7 (5.9–7.5) | 93.3 (92.5–94.0) | 100 | 67.9 (66.5–69.3) | 32.0 (30.6–33.4) | 100 | 14.9 (13.8–15.9) | 85.1 (84.0–86.1) |
| Age group | |||||||||
| 18–44 | 100 | 9.1 (7.8–10.6) | 90.9 (89.4–92.2) | 100 | 61.5 (59.2–63.8) | 38.5 (36.2–40.8) | 100 | 17.7 (16.0–19.5) | 82.3 (80.5–84.0) |
| 45–64 | 100 | 4.7 (3.7–5.8) | 95.3 (94.2–96.3) | 100 | 72.0 (69.7–74.2) | 28.0 (25.8–30.3) | 100 | 12.3 (10.7–13.9) | 87.7 (86.1–89.3) |
| 65 and older | 100 | 4.3 (3.3–5.6) | 95.6 (94.4–96.7) | 100 | 76.1 (73.8–78.2) | 23.6 (21.4–25.9) | 100 | 12.4 (10.7–14.3) | 87.4 (85.5–89.1) |
| Gender | |||||||||
| Female | 100 | 5.5 (4.6–6.5) | 94.5 (93.4–95.4) | 100 | 65.1 (63.1–67.0) | 34.8 (32.9–36.8) | 100 | 12.9 (11.6–14.3) | 87.0 (85.6–88.3) |
| Male | 100 | 7.9 (6.8–9.2) | 92.1 (90.8–93.2) | 100 | 70.9 (68.9–72.9) | 29.0 (27.1–31.0) | 100 | 16.9 (15.3–18.6) | 83.1 (81.4–84.7) |
| Race and Hispanic origin | |||||||||
| Hispanic | 100 | 7.5 (5.7–9.8) | 92.4 (90.1–94.3) | 100 | 70.0 (66.0–73.7) | 30.0 (26.3–33.9) | 100 | 17.9 (15.0–21.0) | 82.1 (79.0–85.0) |
| Black or African American, non-Hispanic | 100 | 8.1 (5.7–11.1) | 91.9 (88.9–94.2) | 100 | 65.6 (61.1–70.0) | 34.2 (29.8–38.7) | 100 | 15.9 (12.9–19.3) | 83.9 (80.5–86.8) |
| White, non-Hispanic | 100 | 6.3 (5.4–7.3) | 93.7 (92.7–94.6) | 100 | 67.6 (65.9–69.2) | 32.4 (30.8–34.0) | 100 | 13.9 (12.6–15.1) | 86.1 (84.8–87.3) |
| Other single or multiple races, non-Hispanic | 100 | 5.3 (3.2–8.1) | 94.7 (91.9–96.8) | 100 | 70.2 (64.9–75.2) | 29.7 (24.7–35.0) | 100 | 13.9 (10.3–18.2) | 86.1 (81.8–89.7) |
| Education | |||||||||
| High school degree or GED or less | 100 | 9.4 (7.9–11.1) | 90.6 (88.9–92.1) | 100 | 71.6 (69.1–73.9) | 28.3 (25.9–30.8) | 100 | 17.3 (15.3–19.5) | 82.6 (80.3–84.6) |
| Some college | 100 | 6.4 (5.2–7.8) | 93.6 (92.2–94.8) | 100 | 69.1 (66.6–71.5) | 30.9 (28.5–33.4) | 100 | 14.0 (12.2–16.0) | 86.0 (84.0–87.7) |
| Bachelor’s degree or higher | 100 | 3.9 (3.1–5.0) | 96.0 (95.0–96.9) | 100 | 63.1 (60.9–65.3) | 36.8 (34.7–39.0) | 100 | 12.9 (11.4–14.5) | 87.1 (85.5–88.6) |
| Household income as a percentage of the federal poverty level | |||||||||
| Less than 100% FPL | 100 | 11.7 (8.9–15.1) | 88.2 (84.9–91.0) | 100 | 63.7 (59.1–68.2) | 36.1 (31.6–40.8) | 100 | 20.5 (17.0–24.4) | 79.2 (75.4–82.8) |
| 100% to less than 200% FPL | 100 | 8.5 (6.6–10.8) | 91.4 (89.2–93.4) | 100 | 70.8 (67.3–74.2) | 29.1 (25.7–32.7) | 100 | 13.4 (11.1–15.9) | 86.6 (84.1–88.9) |
| 200% and greater FPL | 100 | 5.3 (4.5–6.2) | 94.7 (93.8–95.5) | 100 | 68.0 (66.4–69.5) | 32.0 (30.4–33.5) | 100 | 14.2 (13.1–15.4) | 85.8 (84.6–86.9) |
| Region | |||||||||
| Northeast | 100 | 5.5 (3.8–7.8) | 94.4 (92.2–96.2) | 100 | 64.8 (61.4–68.2) | 35.1 (31.7–38.6) | 100 | 14.2 (11.8–16.9) | 85.7 (82.9–88.2) |
| Midwest | 100 | 6.4 (4.9–8.0) | 93.6 (92.0–95.1) | 100 | 67.8 (64.7–70.7) | 32.0 (29.2–35.0) | 100 | 14.7 (12.5–17.2) | 85.2 (82.7–87.4) |
| South | 100 | 7.3 (6.0–8.7) | 92.7 (91.3–94.0) | 100 | 69.2 (66.9–71.5) | 30.7 (28.4–33.1) | 100 | 14.6 (13.0–16.4) | 85.3 (83.6–87.0) |
| West | 100 | 6.9 (5.5–8.5) | 93.1 (91.5–94.5) | 100 | 68.3 (65.4–71.1) | 31.6 (28.8–34.5) | 100 | 15.9 (13.8–18.3) | 84.1 (81.7–86.2) |
| Urbanicity | |||||||||
| Large central metro | 100 | 7.3 (5.9–8.8) | 92.7 (91.2–94.1) | 100 | 64.6 (61.9–67.2) | 35.4 (32.8–38.0) | 100 | 17.6 (15.6–19.8) | 82.3 (80.1–84.3) |
| Large fringe metro | 100 | 6.2 (4.8–7.9) | 93.7 (92.0–95.1) | 100 | 69.4 (66.4–72.2) | 30.5 (27.7–33.4) | 100 | 12.1 (10.3–14.1) | 87.8 (85.8–89.6) |
| Medium and small metro | 100 | 7.2 (5.7–8.9) | 92.8 (91.1–94.3) | 100 | 68.7 (66.1–71.2) | 31.2 (28.8–33.8) | 100 | 15.4 (13.4–17.5) | 84.6 (82.5–86.5) |
| Nonmetropolitan | 100 | 5.1 (3.7–6.8) | 94.9 (93.2–96.3) | 100 | 71.2 (67.6–74.5) | 28.8 (25.5–32.4) | 100 | 12.5 (10.2–15.1) | 87.5 (84.9–89.8) |
NOTES: GED = general educational development certificate. FPL = federal poverty level. All estimates shown meet the NCHS standards of reliability. See technical notes for more details.
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, Rapid Surveys System, Round 2, October–November, 2023.
Explore Rapid Surveys System estimates by health topic.
See the technical notes [PDF – 68 KB] for more information on these measures.
Data collected under the Rapid Surveys System are intended to complement and not replace the current household survey systems at NCHS, including the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). The Rapid Surveys approach has a greater potential for coverage and nonresponse bias and smaller sample sizes, thus resulting in lower precision (especially for subgroups). The Rapid Surveys System is particularly well suited for time-sensitive data needs, measuring public health attitudes, developmental work to improve concept measurement, and methodological studies.
Rapid Surveys System data are cross-sectional data based on commercial probability-sampled online survey panels that are supplemented, if necessary, with alternative modes to improve representativeness. Data were collected from 7,046 adult participants this cycle using two panels – AmeriSpeak (conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago) and KnowledgePanel (conducted by Ipsos). Estimates shown in this dashboard are based on data collected in Round 2 of Rapid Surveys, occurring during October—November 2023. All estimates shown meet the NCHS Data Presentation Standards for Proportions. Data on illegal drugs and naloxone (Narcan) awareness were collected on behalf of CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.
Access the Round 2 Survey questionnaire [PDF – 37 KB]
NCHS Rapid Surveys Systems. Illegal Drugs and Naloxone (Narcan) Awareness. National Center for Health Statistics. Available from: www.cdc.gov/nchs/rss/round2/illegal-drug-use-naloxone-awareness.html.