Drug overdose deaths among teenagers have increased at a rate faster than that of the general population in recent times, primarily attributed to the powerful opioid fentanyl. A recent research study provides valuable insights into the occurrence of nonfatal opioid overdoses in young people—an area that hasn’t been thoroughly examined yet is crucial for creating effective prevention methods to protect lives.
Drug overdose mortality has risen faster among adolescents than the general population in recent years, largely due to fentanyl, a potent opioid pain medication. A new study published in JAMA sheds light on trends in nonfatal opioid overdoses in youth — an area that was not as well characterized, but key to formulating prevention strategies to save lives.
Researchers from the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and their partners examined Emergency Medical Services (EMS) data from January 2018 through December 2022. They discovered that opioid overdoses in young individuals surged at the start of the pandemic and have remained higher than the levels observed before the pandemic. A significant majority (86 percent) of these overdoses were in individuals aged 18-24. However, teenagers aged 12-17 also showed a concerning rise in overdose trends both prior to and during the pandemic. Notably, most youth opioid overdoses (58 percent) occurred in home settings.
“Given that many overdoses happen at home, it’s crucial for parents, particularly of adolescents, to keep naloxone, a readily available medication that can reverse opioid overdoses, accessible in their households,” stated lead author Jamie Lim, MD, a third-year fellow in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Lurie Children’s. “Healthcare providers should also assess youth for substance use and the risk of opioid overdose, as it is evidently becoming a significant issue among younger populations. Additionally, it is important for both parents and young patients to be aware that fentanyl is often mixed in with various street drugs, leading to accidental overdoses.”
Michael Toce, MD, senior author and an attending physician in the Division of Emergency Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital, elaborates on the broader implications of the findings: “Analyzing prehospital data on opioid overdoses among youth in the U.S. can offer critical perspectives on the opioid crisis beyond what emergency department data provides. Although overdose rates have leveled off post-pandemic, understanding which youth are most at risk is essential for creating more effective prevention programs and guiding future public health strategies.”
Co-authors from Lurie Children’s include Sriram Ramgopal, MD, and Jennifer Hoffmann, MD, MS.
