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Abstract

To the Editor In their study of fatal drug overdoses among young people aged 10 to 24 years, Hall and colleagues 1 report 21 689 deaths from 2015 to 2019, which resulted in 1.23 million years of lost life (YLL). This averages to 57 YLL per overdose death, a devastating statistic.The authors' life expectancy data source, the Social Security Administration Period Life Table, did not include information on race; therefore, race-specific YLLs were not provided. However, we can be reasonably sure that the burden of YLL is rapidly changing in ways that are closely tied to race. From 2015 to 2020, the age-adjusted drug overdose death rate for young White male individuals increased by 37%, rising from 9.1 to 12.5 per 100 000 people. By contrast, the rate quadrupled for young Black male individuals, rising from 2.7 to 10.8. Similarly, for young White female individuals, the overdose death rate increased by 41%, rising from 4.1 to 5.8. For young Black female individuals, the rate more than tripled, rising from 1.4 to 4.6. 2 Young Black individuals have experienced a staggering increase in overdose deaths and YLL since 2015, with rates now approximating those of young White individuals. A better understanding of the race-specific drivers of overdose mortality among young people is an urgent priority.

Coding Error and Errors in Estimates

“…A coding error produced shifts in the single-year estimates for preventive medical visits; however, the interpretation and findings of the study were not affected. This article was corrected online, following a previous correction …”