A recent survey conducted by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has revealed that approximately one-third of Americans have personally known someone who has succumbed to a drug overdose.
The study, which was published in the JAMA Network on Friday, found that 32% of respondents have been acquainted with a victim of drug overdose.
The survey also indicated a correlation between personal loss due to drug overdose and support for policies aimed at tackling addiction. The researchers suggested that those who have experienced such loss could be mobilized to advocate for more substantial policy changes to address addiction.
The escalating rate of drug overdose deaths in recent years has been attributed to opioids, often prescribed for pain management, and the rise of potent synthetic drugs such as fentanyl and polysubstance. Since 1999, the United States has witnessed over a million drug overdose deaths. However, the impact of these deaths on the families and friends of the victims remains largely unexplored, according to the researchers.
The study further revealed that personal loss due to drug overdose was more common among lower-income groups, with little variation across political affiliations. Approximately 30% of Democrats, 33% of Republicans, and 34% of Independents reported losing someone to a drug overdose.
The researchers stated, "This cross-sectional study found that 32% of US adults reporting knowing someone who died of a drug overdose and that personal overdose loss was associated with greater odds of endorsing addiction as an important policy issue." They added, "The findings suggest that mobilization of this group may be an avenue to facilitate greater policy change."
Another study examining overdose deaths from 2011 to 2021 estimated that over 321,000 children in the U.S. have lost a parent to drug overdose.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a slight decrease in U.S. drug overdose deaths in 2023, marking the first annual drop since 2018. However, the overall death toll remains alarmingly high, with over 107,000 individuals losing their lives to drug misuse in 2023 alone.
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