Reduce drug overdose deaths — SU‑03 Data Methodology and Measurement

This objective is a Leading Health Indicator (LHI). Learn about LHIs.

About the National Data

Data

Baseline: 20.7 drug overdose deaths per 100,000 population occurred in 2018

Target: 20.7 per 100,000

Numerator
Number of deaths due to drug overdose (ICD-10 codes: X40-X44, X60-X64, X85, Y10-Y14).
Denominator
Number of persons.
Target-setting method
Maintain the baseline
Target-setting method justification
This method was used because the trend was moving away from the desired direction. Maintaining the baseline is the desired target because drug overdose deaths have been increasing precipitously. While a reduction in overdose deaths is ideal, halting the increase still confers great public health benefit.

Methodology

Methodology notes

Includes deaths with underlying causes of unintentional drug poisoning (X40–X44), suicide drug poisoning (X60–X64), homicide drug poisoning (X85), or drug poisoning of undetermined intent (Y10–Y14), as coded in the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision.

Jurisdictions may continue to update death certificates after the creation of the final mortality file. When the percentage of records reported as "pending investigation" is high for a given jurisdiction, the number of drug overdose deaths may be underestimated.

Death rates are calculated based on the resident population of the United States for the data year involved. For census years (e.g. 2020), population counts enumerated as of April 1 are used. For all other years, populations estimates as of July 1 are used. Postcensal population estimates are used in rate calculations for years after a census year and match the data year vintage (e.g. July 1, 2021 resident population estimates from Vintage 2021 are used as the denominator for 2021 rates). Intercensal population estimates are used in rate calculations for the years between censuses (e.g. 2011–2019).

Age-adjustment notes

This indicator uses Age-Adjustment Groups:

  • Total: <1, 1-4, 5-14, 15-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65-74, 75-84, 85+
  • Sex: <1, 1-4, 5-14, 15-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65-74, 75-84, 85+
  • Race/Ethnicity: <1, 1-4, 5-14, 15-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65-74, 75-84, 85+
  • Geographic Location: <1, 1-4, 5-14, 15-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65-74, 75-84, 85+
  • Marital Status: 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65-74, 75+
  • Educational Attainment: 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64

History

Comparable HP2020 objective
Modified, which includes core objectives that are continuing from Healthy People 2020 but underwent a change in measurement.
Changes between HP2020 and HP2030
This objective differs from Healthy People 2020 objective SA-12 in the objective SA-12 tracked all drug-induced deaths, while this objective tracks deaths due to drug overdoses.