ReachMD

Deaths from drug overdoses are the number one cause of injury death in the U.S. Most of these deaths are related to the misuse of prescription opioids and heroin. While men were more likely than women to die of opioid overdose, the number of overdose deaths from opioids among women has increased substantially. Since 1999, women’s deaths have quadrupled from prescription opioid overdose.

Consider the following:

• Nearly 48,000 women died of prescription opioid overdose between 1999 and 2010.
• For every woman who dies of a prescription opioid overdose, over 30 of them go the emergency department for opioid misuse or abuse.

Women’s biological differences may influence susceptibility to substance abuse, which could have implications for prevention and treatment. In order to identify and treat women most at risk, health care providers must be able to recognize and consider these differences.

This session of Grand Rounds Nation from CDC's Public Health Grand Rounds explores how health care providers, researchers, and the public health community can best address the complexities of opioid use disorder among women. Speakers will give an overview of the federal response to the disorder, along with approaches to care and prevention of substance use.