DOH Study Ranks Volusia 15th In Florida For Drug Poisoning Deaths

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Volusia County, Florida - Volusia County ranks 15th in Florida for drug poisoning deaths, according to a new health briefing, released by the Volusia County Department of Health (DOH), which focuses on opioid-related deaths and hospitalizations. According to the DOH, drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the United States and Volusia County, and accidental death is the third leading cause of death in Volusia County. The DOH report, titled "Opioid Poisonings in Volusia County," analyzes deaths attributed to the use of methadone, heroin, and prescription opioids other than methadone. While death rates caused by heroin are lower than the state's rate, deaths caused by methadone are higher than the state's rate. There was no difference seen in the percentage of deaths caused by other non-methadone prescription opioids.

Below is a graph of the death rates by different drug poisonings, courtesy of Volusia DOH:

Some other highlights from the report are below:
  • Men in Volusia County are nearly twice as likely to die from opioid poisoning than women (Men: 65.7%, Women: 34.3%).
  • 75% of the opioid poisonings in Volusia County are among people aged 25-54.
  • White opioid users are four times more likely to die from opioid poisoning than black or Hispanic users (White: 15.5%, Black: 3.7%, Hispanic: 3.7%)
  • Hospitalization rates from prescription opioid use are declining, but rates from heroin and methadone use are on the rise.
The full data brief can be found here. Photo courtesy Weblogiq and shutterstock.com Copyright Southern Stone Communications 2017.