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Table 6 Adjusted number of drug poisoning deaths and change vs. reported numbersa

From: Drug poisoning deaths in the United States, 1999–2012: a statistical adjustment analysis

Drug category

# [95 % CI]

1999

2012

Deathsb

∆ vs. reportedc

Deathsb

∆ vs. reportedc

Narcotics

13,114 [12,962–13,265]

3192 [3040–3343]

33,830 [33,560–34,100]

8643 [8373–8913]

 Opioid analgesics

5275 [5087–5463]

1245 [1057–1433]

22,534 [22,254–22,814]

6527 [6247–6807]

 Other narcotics

9820 [9641–9999]

2683 [2504–2862]

15,933 [15,671–16,196]

4366 [4104–4629]

Sedatives

2633 [2473–2792]

971 [811–1130]

12,457 [12,185–12,729]

4703 [4431–4975]

Psychotropics

3568 [3395–3741]

1102 [929–1275]

10,798 [10,544–11,053]

3331 [3077–3586]

Other specified

1482 [1368–1596]

311 [197–425]

4528 [4348–4709]

1372 [1192–1553]

Unspecified

5930 [5786–6154]

−2507 [−2691 – −2323]

14,135 [13,874–14,396]

−6477 [−6738 – −6216]

>1 Major drug classd

4820 [4627–5013]

1780 [1587–1973]

17,670 [17,469–18,050]

6584 [6293–6874]

  1. aData from the Multiple Cause of Death files
  2. bNumber of drug poisoning deaths involving the specified drug, calculated as the product of the number of drug poisoning deaths in the year multiplied by the adjusted proportion obtained from probit models, where at least one specific drug is assumed to be mentioned for all poisoning deaths (SPECIFY = 1). Models also control for: sex, race (black, other), Hispanic, currently married, education (high school dropout, high school graduate, some college, college graduate), age (≤20, 21–30, 31–40, 41–50, 51–60, 61–70, 71–80, >80), day of the week of death, and census region. The calculations use more significant digits for adjusted proportions than are shown on Table 3, so that there may be small differences from those that would be obtained using rounded estimates
  3. cDifference between adjusted number of deaths and unadjusted number based on death certificate reports
  4. dTwo or more of the drug types: opioid analgesics, other narcotics, sedatives, psychotropics, or other specified drugs.
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Population Health Metrics

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