Citation

Snowdon J. Australas. Psychiatry 2022; 30(1): 26-30.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/10398562221075192

PMID

35236130

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to assess how many nations, in addition to the United States and Canada, report alarmingly high drug overdose death rates, and to compare how those rates have changed.

CONCLUSIONS: Drug overdose death rates exceed four per 100,000 in over 10% of the world's nations, including Libya (where rates are increasing) and in Russia (where rates have fallen). A comparison of data from five well-resourced nations with high drug death rates showed recently accelerated and alarming increases in rates in the United States and Canada (attributed to influx of fentanyl, plus increased stimulant use). A reported recent fall in Canada's drug suicide rate may be attributable to misclassification of some suicides as accidents. There is an urgent need to ensure accuracy and better understanding concerning drug overdose deaths and how to prevent them.

Language: en

Keywords

Canada; suicide; accidental drug deaths; mortality rates; Opioid crisis