What proportion of the population has been directly affected by the opioid epidemic?
What does an addict look like?
How many overdoses started with pain pills and not recreational use?
Many concerned community members affected by addiction and opioids wanted to know more about the demographics behind the crisis. Over the past year we have gathered a great amount of data in order to gain more insight on what the opioid crisis looks like in Ohio, which communities are being most affected by it, and how we can help. We believe that reliable data can lead to reliable solutions. Below, is a breakdown of some of the trends we’ve seen.
Prescribing Patterns
A 2013 study examining national-level general population heroin data (including those in and not in treatment) found that nearly 80 percent of heroin users reported using prescription opioids prior to heroin. Of all unintentional overdose deaths in Ohio in 2016, 20.6 percent had an opioid prescription in the previous 30 days.
In 2016, National prescribing rate was 66.5. The average of all of the counties in Ohio is a rate of 73.3; the counties with the highest opioid prescription rates were Jackson (133.8), Washington (119.9), Jefferson (111.9), Scioto (105.5), Marion (102.8). Below is a graph showing the correlation between prescribing rates and fatal overdoses in 2016 by county.
Fortunately, opioid prescribing rates in Ohio have been declining. Rates declined for a fourth consecutive year in 2016, according to the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy. Between 2012 and 2016, the total number of opioids dispensed to Ohio patients decreased by 162 million doses or 20.4 percent.
To compare fatal unintentional overdose rates with county prescribing rates, you click here and go to the map at the bottom of the page. To see the changes in prescribing rates overtime and at the state, county, and zip code level click here.
Demographics
Based on 2016 data, Cuyahoga County had the highest number of fatal unintentional drug overdoses in the state. Next were Montgomery, Hamilton, Franklin, and Summit County. By rates of fatal drug overdoses (adjusted for county population), Montgomery County had the highest rate of fatal unintentional drug overdoses, followed by Richland, Butler, Summit, and Clark counties.
Of those who died of an unintentional overdose in Ohio, men make up 67.2%. Additionally, almost 40% were between the ages of 45 and 64; and 35% were between 20 and 34 years old.
Race demographics for overdose deaths in Ohio and nationally, are predominately white.
| Location | White, non-Hispanic | Black, non-Hispanic | Hispanic |
| United States | 79% | 10% | 8% |
| Ohio | 89% | 9% | 2% |
*This story was updated 3/30/18. A previous version identified Cuyahoga County incorrectly as having the highest rate of unintentional drug overdose deaths.
Thank you for this study. Could you please do a study to find out how many people in the Hamilton County, Ohio Drug Court died from overdoses in the last 5 years? The Hamilton Co Drug Court Judge (Kim Wilson Burke) does not allow people in her drug court to use individually prescribed, medically assisted treatment (including buprenorphine) in jail or on probation so the relapse rate is extremely high and I bet the death rate from overdoses is, also. I have been advocating for 5 years to have the Judge mandated to allow the use of this evidence-based medication but have not been successful. PLEASE HELP! Thank you!