A recent study published in the journal PLOS ONE has found a 22% decline in rates of prescription-opioid overdose related emergency department (ED) visits in children 17 and younger in the US between 2008 and 2019. However, there was an uptick in the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating that rates of pediatric opioid overdoses remain high in many populations. Opioid overdose has been declared a public health emergency in the United States, and much of the focus has been on adults, but this study highlights the importance of also addressing this issue in children.
Researchers analyzed overdoses in children using data from the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample spanning from 2008 to 2020. They found that overall, prescription-opioid overdose ED visits for patients from 0-17 years old decreased by 22% from 2008 to 2019, then increased by 12% in 2020. This increase was mainly attributed to overdoses among males, children aged 12 to 17, and those in the West and Midwest regions. The highest rates of overdoses were seen in ages 0 to 1 and 12 to 17, females, and in urban teaching hospital EDs.
Efforts to reduce opioid overdoses should include increased focus on young children and adolescents, according to the authors of the study. They also suggest that further studies could investigate the impact of the later years of the COVID-19 pandemic on the opioid epidemic. The findings indicate that while there has been a decreasing trend in prescription opioid overdose ED visits of US children over the past decade, certain age groups still face a significant risk of experiencing these overdoses, highlighting the need for continued intervention and prevention strategies.
The study emphasizes the importance of addressing opioid overdose in children, as the rates have remained high even with the overall decrease in recent years. More attention should be given to young children and adolescents, who face a higher risk of experiencing prescription opioid overdoses. The results also suggest that interventions and campaigns targeting opioid overdose prevention have been effective, but there is still work to be done to protect vulnerable populations.
The authors suggest that future studies should explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the opioid epidemic, as there was an increase in prescription-opioid overdose ED visits in children during the early part of the pandemic. Understanding how external factors, such as a global health crisis, can influence opioid misuse and overdoses can help inform strategies for prevention and intervention moving forward. By continuing to monitor trends in opioid overdoses among children and adolescents, public health efforts can better target at-risk populations and work towards reducing the overall burden of opioid misuse in the US.
