U.S. emergency department visits for drug-related suicide attempts rise over six year period | WPN World People News

Two new reports highlight the rise in drug-related suicide attempt visits to hospital emergency departments especially among certain age groups. The reports by U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) show that overall there was a 51 percent increase for these types of visits among people 12 and older -- from 151,477 visits in 2005 to 228,277 visits in 2011.

One report analyzed the increase in emergency department visits by age and found that the overall rise resulted from increases in visits by people aged 18 to 29 and people aged 45 to 64. Visits involving 18 to 29 year olds increased from 47,312 in 2005 to 75,068 -- a 58 percent increase. Visits involving people aged 45 to 64 increased from 28,802 in 2005 to 58,776 visits in 2011 -- a 104 percent increase. In 2011, these two age groups comprised approximately 60 percent of all drug-related emergency department visits involving suicide attempts.

The other SAMHSA report focused on the 45 to 64 age group, which had the largest increase in emergency department visits involving drug related suicide attempts, and characterized these visits. The report found that the majority (96 percent in 2011) of these visits involved the non-medical use of prescription drugs and over-the-counter-medications. In 2011, these drugs included anti-anxiety and insomnia medications (48 percent), pain relievers (29 percent) and antidepressants (22 percent).

Other substances involved in these drug-related suicide attempt emergency department visits during the same year included alcohol (39 percent) and illicit drugs (11 percent).

The report also found that these visits by patients aged 45 to 64 doubled for both men and women during this time period.

“Suicide continues to take lives without regard to age, income, education, social standing, race, or gender.” said SAMHSA Administrator, Pamela S. Hyde. “It is a growing risk in far too many segments of our society. We must all do everything we can to combat this preventable and needless loss of life and the devastation it inflicts upon friends, families and communities across our nation.”

Source: U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration