Progress and Challenges: Understanding Data to Address Drug Overdoses Deaths

In May, we published our updated Summary of Drug Overdose Deaths. It’s an overview of information about people who died of a drug overdose in Dane County from 2000-2022. Before we get into some of the key takeaways from the report, it’s important to acknowledge that this data represents real people. They are our families, our friends, our neighbors, and they were loved.

Too many people are dying as a result of a drug overdose.

• Overdose deaths in Dane County are decreasing, however, they are still unacceptably high.
  • In 2022, there were 147 deaths in Dane County due to a drug overdose. It’s the first time in four years that drug overdose deaths in Dane County decreased, however, it is still 35% higher than it was in 2017.
• Not everyone is impacted equally by overdose deaths.
  • The data also shows that Black people were more likely to die of an overdose compared with Dane County as a whole. Reversing long-standing policies, systems, and structures that hinder Black wellness is critical to addressing this injustice.
• People of all ages can die because of a drug overdose.
  • Overdose deaths do not only impact people in their teens and twenties. In fact, in recent years, we’ve seen the highest drug overdose death rates among those 35-54 years of age.

Changes in the types of substances being used are impacting overdose rates.

In the report, we also took a deeper dive into understanding the trends in the substances people use and the impact on how many people die from overdoses. We found that there is rarely a single substance that causes an overdose death. Instead, overdoses tend to be caused by the interactions of multiple substances within someone’s system.

Synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, have replaced heroin and prescription drugs as the main contributor to overdose deaths. There has also been an increase in overdose deaths involving cocaine. This is largely due to fentanyl being mixed into the cocaine supply.

Xylazine is an emerging substance of concern. It is a medication primarily used by veterinarians to sedate animals. But it is sometimes mixed into other drugs to extend their effects. The biggest issue with Xylazine is that it is not meant for humans. When it is consumed in the human body, it acts as a strong sedative. This can cause a drop in blood pressure, extreme tiredness, and slow down breathing and increases risk of a fatal overdose.

We’re working to reduce overdose deaths in Dane County.

One way we work toward reducing substance-use-related harms and preventing overdose deaths is by offering tools to minimize risk. We provide a nonjudgemental space to access safer use supplies and community resources through the Syringe Services Program (SSP). The program is designed to provide risk reduction education, prevent the spread of illnesses such as Hepatitis C and HIV, and connect people to treatment.

The Overdose Fatality Review (OFR) is a multi-disciplinary team of more than 30 community partners with a shared goal of reducing overdose deaths in Dane County. The team meets every other month to identify common themes in the circumstances around overdose deaths and develops recommendations to decrease risk factors and increase access to vital services.

We also track hospital and ambulance data to look for unexpected increases, or spikes, in drug-involved overdoses. If we see a spike, we send out an alert. Sign up for alerts at publichealthmdc.com/spikealerts.

Help is available. The Behavioral Health Resource Center is a voluntary person and family centered service to help provide access to mental health and/or substance use services, regardless of insurance status. There is also 24/7 access to support from people in long-term recovery, through the Recovery Helpline through Safe Communities. You can find more information on our website.

A note about delayed data

You may have noticed our most recent finalized data included in the report is from 2022. This is because the process involves several steps including data collection, verification, and analysis. Each step is time-consuming and involves collaboration with several agencies including hospitals, law enforcement, and medical examiners. Each step is crucial in our effort to save lives.