Study Finds Black Opioid Overdose Deaths Are Increasing Faster Than Whites

A recently published study reveals a growing racial disparity in opioid overdose death rates.

The study, conducted in partnership with the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health, claims OD deaths among African Americans are increasing faster than those among whites across the country.

The authors analyzed overdose data and death certificates from four states: Kentucky, Ohio, Massachusetts, and New York and found the rate of opioid deaths among Blacks increased by 38% from 2018 to 2019, while the rate among other ethnic groups remained the same.

“We’re seeing the shift in the demographics,” says Dr. Nora Volkow, director of NIDA.

The authors are calling for an “antiracist public health approach” to address the opioid crisis in Black communities.