Nearly 20% more Iowans died of drug overdoses in 2020 than in the previous year, as the powerful narcotic fentanyl became more prevalent and the COVID pandemic compounded people s anxiety and isolated them from addiction treatment services.
A new report from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates Iowa suffered 419 drug overdose deaths last year, compared to 350 in 2019. The nation as a whole saw a 29% increase in such deaths, for a record total over 93,000, the report says. Most neighboring states saw steeper increases in overdose deaths than Iowa did, although South Dakota was one of just two states in the country that had a decrease.
Iowa drug overdose deaths jumped 20% last year, amid pandemic s stress and the spread of fentanyl Tony Leys, Des Moines Register
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Nearly 20% more Iowans died of drug overdoses in 2020 than in the previous year, as the powerful narcotic fentanyl became more prevalent and the COVID pandemic compounded people s anxiety and isolated them from addiction treatment services.
A new report from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates Iowa suffered 419 drug overdose deaths last year, compared to 350 in 2019. The nation as a whole saw a 29% increase in such deaths, for a record total over 93,000, the report says. Most neighboring states saw steeper increases in overdose deaths than Iowa did, although South Dakota was one of just two states in the country that had a decrease.
Opioid-related deaths increased by 35 percent in Iowa in 2020.
State health data shows that opioid-related deaths in Iowa increased 35 percent last year, but it s unclear if that increase is linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to provisional data from the Iowa Department of Public Health, 212 deaths in 2020 involved opioids.
This marks the third year in a row the number of opioid-related deaths has increased in the state. There were 157 deaths in 2019 and 137 deaths in 2018.
Kevin Gabbert, the opioid initiatives director for the state health department, said it’s unclear if the pandemic has played a role in the increase.
But Gabbert said some COVID-related factors could have placed individuals at a higher risk for an overdose.