Fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine were the most common substances seen in substance-involved deaths, with deaths involving fentanyl increasing by 489.7% between 2018-22, according to the report.
Youth ages 15-19 had the highest rate of substance-involved health care facility visits, with a 180.7% increase between 2018-22, according to the report. Additionally, Black, non-Hispanic youth saw a 217.9% increase in substance-involved health care visits in that same time frame.
Youth ages 15-19 also had the highest rates of substance-involved deaths, which rose by 544.3% between 2018-22, according to the report.
One more thing
In the call to action portion of the report, HCPH lists several recommendations to address substance use, including:
- Addressing the root causes of substance use
- Reducing the stigma associated with substance use disorders
- Providing tailored patient education to prevent poor health outcomes
- Expanding and optimizing treatment options for substance use disorder recovery
- Investing in harm reduction services and resources
To read HCPH’s report, visit https://publichealth.harriscountytx.gov/media/reports. HCPH will also host a free webinar about the report in March, according to a Dec. 20 news release.
