TY - JOUR
T1 - Trends in Nonfatal Overdose Rates Due to Alcohol and Prescription and Illegal Substances in Colombia, 2010‒2021
AU - Santaella-Tenorio, Julian
AU - Zapata-López, Jhoan S
AU - Fidalgo, Thiago M
AU - Tardelli, Vítor S
AU - Segura, Luis E
AU - Cerda, Magdalena
AU - Martins, Silvia S
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 American Public Health Association Inc.. All rights reserved.
PY - 2024/11/1
Y1 - 2024/11/1
N2 -
Objectives. To examine drug overdoses in Colombia by type of substance, sex, age, and intent using data from a health surveillance system from 2010 to 2021.
Methods. We characterized data by year, type of substance, and sociodemographic variables. We calculated age-adjusted overdose rates by substance type, sex, age groups, and intent. We used Poisson regression models to examine trend differences across sex and age groups.
Results. Age-adjusted rates of drug overdoses increased from 8.51 to 40.52 per 100 000 during 2010 to 2021. Men, compared with women, had higher overdose rates for every substance, except for opioids and psychotropics. Drug overdose rates involving cannabis and stimulants increased steadily until 2017 but decreased afterward. Overdose rates involving psychotropic medication increased greatly during 2018 to 2021, mainly because of intentional overdoses in young women.
Conclusions. Overdoses involving illegal drugs decreased in recent years in Colombia; however, the continuous increase in intentional psychotropic overdose rates highlights the need for prevention efforts to curb this trend. Health surveillance systems are an important tool that can guide overdose prevention efforts in countries with limited data resources. (
Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print September 12, 2024:e1-e9. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307786).
AB -
Objectives. To examine drug overdoses in Colombia by type of substance, sex, age, and intent using data from a health surveillance system from 2010 to 2021.
Methods. We characterized data by year, type of substance, and sociodemographic variables. We calculated age-adjusted overdose rates by substance type, sex, age groups, and intent. We used Poisson regression models to examine trend differences across sex and age groups.
Results. Age-adjusted rates of drug overdoses increased from 8.51 to 40.52 per 100 000 during 2010 to 2021. Men, compared with women, had higher overdose rates for every substance, except for opioids and psychotropics. Drug overdose rates involving cannabis and stimulants increased steadily until 2017 but decreased afterward. Overdose rates involving psychotropic medication increased greatly during 2018 to 2021, mainly because of intentional overdoses in young women.
Conclusions. Overdoses involving illegal drugs decreased in recent years in Colombia; however, the continuous increase in intentional psychotropic overdose rates highlights the need for prevention efforts to curb this trend. Health surveillance systems are an important tool that can guide overdose prevention efforts in countries with limited data resources. (
Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print September 12, 2024:e1-e9. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307786).
KW - Adolescent
KW - Adult
KW - Colombia/epidemiology
KW - Drug Overdose/epidemiology
KW - Female
KW - Humans
KW - Illicit Drugs/poisoning
KW - Male
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Prescription Drugs/poisoning
KW - Sex Factors
KW - Young Adult
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85205603672&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/599c8402-7f61-35aa-88c2-afb689e931c9/
U2 - 10.2105/ajph.2024.307786
DO - 10.2105/ajph.2024.307786
M3 - Article
C2 - 39265125
SN - 0090-0036
VL - 114
SP - 1252
EP - 1260
JO - American Journal of Public Health
JF - American Journal of Public Health
IS - 11
ER -