On this page: About the National Data | Methodology | History
About the National Data
Data
Data Sources: National Vital Statistics System - Mortality (NVSS-M), CDC/NCHS; Population Estimates, Census
Baseline: 20.7 drug overdose deaths per 100,000 population occurred in 2018
Target: 20.7 per 100,000
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
