Increasing rates of methamphetamine/amphetamine-involved overdose hospitalizations in Washington State, 2010-2017

Henry Njuguna; Jian Gong; Katie Hutchinson; Mamadou Ndiaye; Jennifer Sabel; Cathy Wasserman

doi:10.1016/j.abrep.2021.100353

Increasing rates of methamphetamine/amphetamine-involved overdose hospitalizations in Washington State, 2010-2017

Addict Behav Rep. 2021 May 28:14:100353. doi: 10.1016/j.abrep.2021.100353. eCollection 2021 Dec.

Authors

Henry Njuguna^{1

2}, Jian Gong², Katie Hutchinson², Mamadou Ndiaye², Jennifer Sabel², Cathy Wasserman²

Affiliations

¹ Epidemic Intelligence Service, Division of Scientific Education and Professional Development, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States.
² Washington State Department of Health, United States.

Abstract

Background and aims: In the United States, overdose deaths resulting from methamphetamine and other amphetamine-type stimulants (METH/AMPH) have been increasing. We describe rates and characterize patients hospitalized after a METH/AMPH-involved overdose in Washington State, to guide prevention and control measures.

Design setting participants: We conducted a trend analysis of hospitalized Washington State residents aged ≥15 years who received a METH/AMPH-involved overdose diagnosis in Washington's civilian hospitals and reported in the Comprehensive Hospital Abstract Reporting System.

Measurements: We used Joinpoint regression analysis to study trends in rates of hospitalized patients who received a METH/AMPH-involved overdose diagnosis during 2010-2017. We used 2016-2017 data to describe characteristics of patients with nonfatal and fatal outcomes and used chi-square test (for categorical variables) and Wilcoxon rank-sum test (for continuous variables) to compare characteristics of patients by outcome.

Findings: During 2010-2017, 3587 patients were hospitalized and received a METH/AMPH-involved overdose diagnosis. The age-adjusted rate for METH/AMPH-involved overdose hospitalization increased from 6.3/100,000 persons in 2010 to 8.5/100,000 persons in 2017. Patients aged ≥55 years had the greatest increase in rate of overdose hospitalizations. Among these patients, 86% also had a substance use disorder diagnosis involving substances other than METH/AMPH, and 35% experienced a polysubstance overdose.

Conclusions: We observed increasing rates of METH/AMPH-involved overdose hospitalizations in Washington State, particularly among persons aged ≥55 years. Approximately a third of patients also experienced a polysubstance overdose, which can be considered when designing interventions to address increasing rates of overdose hospitalizations in Washington State.

Keywords: Hospitalization; Increasing rates; Methamphetamine/Amphetamine; Overdose; Trend analysis.