Trends in the Rate of Opioid-Related Hospitalizations

National Demographics: Sex

The rate of opioid-related hospitalizations for both women and men have increased dramatically since 2005, but the rate of growth for women has outpaced the rate of growth for men. In 2016, roughly 302 women were hospitalized for opioid-related reasons per 100,000 population, compared to roughly 291 men.

National Demographics: Income

Individuals in the lowest income quartile have been most impacted by rising rates of opioid-related hospitalizations (in 2016, 387 hospitalizations per 100,000), while individuals in the highest income quartile have been least impacted (in 2016, 205 hospitalizations per 100,000).

Rates for all four income quartiles increased by at least two-thirds between 2005 and 2014 (from lowest to highest, 65%, 73%, 65%, and 61% increases to the rates of opioid-related hospitalizations between 2005 and 2014).

National Demographics: Patient Location

Affected most from opioids are large central metropolitan areas, with 311 opioid-related hospitalizations per 100,000 population in 2016. However despite rates being the highest for these areas, they have increased the least since 2005 (only 28% between 2005 and 2014).

The rate of opioid-related hospitalizations for all other locations (large fringe metropolitan areas, medium metropolitan areas, small metropolitan areas and rural areas) were tightly clustered between 280 and 290 hospitalizations per 100,000 population in 2016. Hospitalizations between 2005 and 2014 increased the most in small metropolitan areas (122% increase), followed by rural areas (99% increase), large fringe metropolitan areas (92% increase), medium metropolitan areas (67% increase), and large central metropolitan areas (28% increase).

National Demographics: Age

In 2016, the rate of opioid-related hospitalizations for individuals between 1 and 24 was 71 hospitalizations per 100,000. The highest rates are among the 25-44 and 45-64 age groups (402 and 422 hospitalizations per 100,000 population, respectively), however the fastest growing rate belongs to the 65+ age group, at 392 hospitalizations per 100,000 population in 2016 (increasing 85% between 2005 and 2014).