National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
Pediatrics. 2021 Jan;147(1). doi: 10.1542/peds.2020-003491. Epub 2020 Dec 7.
During the current drug overdose crisis, the United States is experiencing a significant number of overdose deaths, hospitalizations, and emergency department visits. Given the vulnerability of young persons to substance use, it is important to assess how this crisis affects the nation's youth. In this study, we investigate trends in suspected nonfatal drug-related overdoses (all-drugs, opioids, heroin, and stimulants) among youth using syndromic surveillance data from 2016 to 2019.
A retrospective analysis of emergency department syndromic surveillance data were used to detect quarterly trends in suspected drug overdoses from April 2016 through September 2019 among youth aged 0 to 10, 11 to 14, and 15 to 24 years. Syndrome definitions were developed using chief complaint free-text and discharge diagnosis codes to identify overdoses involving all-drugs, opioids, heroin, and stimulants. Pearson χ tests detected quarter-to-quarter changes, and joinpoint regression analysis assessed trends over time.
On average, there was a 2.0% increase for youth aged 0 to 10 years and a 2.3% increase for youth aged 11 to 14 years for suspected all-drug overdoses. Suspected heroin overdoses decreased by an average of 3.3% per quarter for youth aged 15 to 24 years. Among all age groups, suspected stimulant overdoses increased across the study period, 3.3% for 0 to 10-year-olds, 4.0% for 11- to 14-year-olds, and 2.3% for 15- to 24-year-olds.
Suspected stimulant-involved drug overdoses appear to be rising among youth. These findings could inform targeted interventions, such as stimulant-focused prevention, and comprehensive approaches, including school-based prevention and other strategies to lower morbidity and mortality.
在美国当前的药物过量危机中，过量用药死亡、住院和急诊就诊人数众多。鉴于年轻人易受药物使用影响，评估这场危机如何影响美国青年群体至关重要。在本研究中，我们利用 2016 年至 2019 年的综合征监测数据，调查了年轻人疑似非致命药物相关过量用药（所有药物、阿片类药物、海洛因和兴奋剂）的趋势。
使用急诊综合征监测数据进行回顾性分析，以检测 2016 年 4 月至 2019 年 9 月期间，0 至 10 岁、11 至 14 岁和 15 至 24 岁青少年疑似药物过量的季度趋势。综合征定义是通过主要投诉的自由文本和出院诊断代码制定的，以确定涉及所有药物、阿片类药物、海洛因和兴奋剂的过量用药。皮尔逊 χ 检验检测逐季变化，连接点回归分析评估随时间的趋势。
平均而言，0 至 10 岁年龄组疑似所有药物过量用药增加 2.0%，11 至 14 岁年龄组增加 2.3%。15 至 24 岁年龄组疑似海洛因过量用药平均每季度减少 3.3%。在所有年龄组中，疑似兴奋剂过量用药在整个研究期间呈上升趋势，0 至 10 岁年龄组增加 3.3%，11 至 14 岁年龄组增加 4.0%，15 至 24 岁年龄组增加 2.3%。
疑似兴奋剂相关药物过量似乎在年轻人中上升。这些发现可以为有针对性的干预措施提供信息，如兴奋剂为重点的预防措施，以及包括学校预防在内的综合方法和其他降低发病率和死亡率的策略。
