Fatal drug overdoses among older adults in the U.S. have quadrupled over the past two decades.
Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s WONDER database shows that overdose deaths among adults 65 years and older have quadrupled between 2002 and 2021.
The rise is primarily due to the proliferation of prescription and illicit opioids like morphine, oxycodone, and fentanyl.
- In 2021, 12 out of every 100,000 adults 65 and older in the U.S. died from a drug overdose.
- Non-Hispanic Black and Native Americans have the highest rates.
- Most fatal drug overdoses among older adults in 2021 involved illicit drugs, but 37% percent involved prescription medications.
- Opioids, including prescription opioids, played a role in 57% of overdose deaths among older adults.
Medicare is reportedly not required to cover mental health and substance use disorder treatment to the same extent as other health requirements.
