Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Drug Overdoses in Indianapolis

Abstract

We described the change in drug overdoses during the COVID-19 pandemic in one urban emergency medical services (EMS) system. Data was collected from Marion County, Indiana (Indianapolis), including EMS calls for service (CFS) for suspected overdose, CFS in which naloxone was administered, and fatal overdose data from the County Coroner's Office. With two sample t tests and ARIMA time series forecasting, we showed changes in the daily rates of calls (all EMS CFS, overdose CFS, and CFS in which naloxone was administered) before and after the stay-at-home order in Indianapolis. We further showed differences in the weekly rate of overdose deaths. Overdose CFS and EMS naloxone administration showed an increase with the social isolation of the Indiana stay-at-home order, but a continued increase after the stay-at-home order was terminated. Despite a mild 4% increase in all EMS CFS, overdose CFS increased 43% and CFS with naloxone administration increased 61% after the stay-athome order. Deaths from drug overdoses increased by 47%. There was no change in distribution of age, race/ethnicity, or zip code of those who overdosed after the stay-at-home order was issued. We hope this data informs policy-makers preparing for future COVID-19 responses and other disaster responses.

Introduction to the special issue: Social work practice in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic - Challenges and innovations

“…A recent study confirms the role of social factors in disease spread, with each 1 point-increase in Social Vulnerability Index scores at the county-level linked to 87 excess cases and 3 additional COVID-related deaths per 100,000 people across the US (Karmakar et al, 2021). Accompanied by skyrocketing rates of mental health conditions and substance misuse (Czeisler et al, 2020;Simon et al, 2020), disproportionate increases in deaths by suicide among Black Americans (Bray et al, 2021) and increased rates of drug overdose (Friedman et al, 2020;Glober et al, 2020), the pandemic has overwhelmed health systems and pushed the health workforce and the American public to the brink.…”

Changes in Characteristics of Drug Overdose Death Trends during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…This analysis revealed no evidence that COVID-19 case fatality rate and increase in opioid OD death rates are correlated. Although we used a longer study period of confirmed ODs than prior research (8, 9), the relationship between COVID-19 case fatality rates and opioid OD death rates may still evolve.…”

“…Preliminary results in California (through April 18) and Indiana (suspected ODs through July 24) show increases in daily OD deaths (8, 9). States’ OD and COVID-19 trajectories differ greatly (10), necessitating assessments of the relationship between the pandemic and ODs on a state-by-state level.…”

Evaluating outcomes of a clinical pharmacist medication management program in a multidisciplinary practice for outpatient buprenorphine treatment of opioid use disorder

“…Drug overdoses accounted for 73 860 deaths between March 2019 and 2020 in the United States (U.S.), with 52 488 involving opioids 1 . Overdose deaths are implicated in the recent trend of declining life expectancy in the U.S., and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic may be worsening the opioid epidemic 2,3,4 . As a national crisis unfolds, health care systems must adapt to meet rapidly growing needs of patients seeking treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD).…”