States’ COVID-19 Restrictions were Associated with Increases in Drug Overdose Deaths in 2020

Douglas A. Wolf, Shannon M. Monnat, Jennifer Karas Montez, Emily Wiemers and Elyse Grossman
Additional contact information
Douglas A. Wolf: Center for Policy Research, Maxwell School, Syracuse University, 426 Eggers Hall, Syracuse, NY 13244, https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/directory/douglas-a-wolf
Shannon M. Monnat: Center for Policy Research, Maxwell School, Syracuse University, 426 Eggers Hall, Syracuse, NY 13244, https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/directory/shannon-monnat
Jennifer Karas Montez: Sociology Department, Maxwell School, Syracuse University, 302 Maxwell Hall, Syracuse, NY 13244, https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/directory/jennifer-karas-montez
Emily Wiemers: Public Administration and International Affairs Department, Maxwell School, Syracuse University, 215 Eggers Hall, Syracuse, NY 13244, https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/directory/emily-wiemers
Elyse Grossman: Center for Policy Research, Maxwell School, Syracuse University, 426 Eggers Hall, Syracuse, NY 13244, https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/directory/douglas-a-wolf

No 12, Center for Policy Research Policy Briefs from Center for Policy Research, Maxwell School, Syracuse University

Abstract: Drug overdoses surged in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health experts raised concerns in the pandemic’s early months about how the pandemic and the policies enacted to stem it might increase overdose risk. This brief summarizes the findings of a paper that used national data to identify how states’ COVID-19 policies affected drug overdose rates among U.S. adults ages 25-64 during the first year of the pandemic. Results show that counties located in states that adopted more aggressive in-person activity restrictions experienced larger increases in 2020 than counties located in states with fewer limitations. State economic support policies helped reduce overdose mortality rates, but not enough to offset the effects of the physical distancing policies.

Keywords: COVID-19; Substance Use; Drug Overdoses; Population Health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 5 pages
Date: 2024-05
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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