Rise in overdose deaths increasingly affects those with lower educational attainment, study finds

A recent study by the RAND Corporation has highlighted a sharp increase in drug overdose deaths among Americans lacking a college education. Specifically, those without a high school diploma experienced a near doubling of overdose rates over a three-year span. This trend underscores the potential connection between the rise in drug-related fatalities and barriers to educational access, a known determinant of health.

The research indicates that the opioid crisis is predominantly affecting Americans without any college education. This disparity has been observed across all racial and ethnic groups and has been exacerbated since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study emphasizes the growing educational disparities in drug overdose deaths, which have become more pronounced during the pandemic.

The findings, derived from the National Vital Statistics System Mortality Multiple Cause-of-Death Data, spanned from 2000 to 2021. During this period, nearly 70% of the 912,057 overdose deaths recorded for individuals aged 25 and above had no college experience. The study also revealed that overdose death rates for those without college education grew faster annually compared to those with some college experience.