This work, “Arizona and Opioids”, is a derivative of “Creative Commons Arizona Flag” by Cuksis, used under CC BY. “Arizona and Opioids” is licensed under CC BY by [Joe Jacquez].

Arizona Opioid Data: What You Need to Know

Part three of the Examining the Opioid Crisis in Arizona series takes a look at the latest available from the Arizona Department of Health Services

Statewide opioid data from the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) is available in real-time.

After a release of data showed a 74 percent increase in opioid overdoes since 2013 in Arizona, Governor Doug Ducey declared a statewide public health emergency on June 5, 2017.

One week later, on June 13, Gov. Ducey signed an executive order calling for ADHS to provide numbers in real time on opioids in five categories: suspected opioid deaths, suspected opioid overdoes, neonatal abstinence syndrome, naloxone does dispensed and naloxone does administered.

Arizona Department of Health Services displays real-time data available to the public on its website.

Neonatal abstinence syndrome refers to a group of issues newborn babies experience after being exposed to opiate drugs while in their mother’s womb, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Naloxone is the preeminent medication used to quickly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

In addition to tracking data every day, ADHS has more detailed information on opioid overdoes and deaths reported to the agency from June 15, 2017, to April, 25, 2018.

You can read the entire report, but here are five things you need to know about opioid overdoes and deaths in Arizona.

7,437

A total of 7,437 possible opioid overdoes have been reported, and 16 percent of those were fatal.

61%

Broken down by county, 61 percent or 4,557 of the possible opioid overdoes occurred in Maricopa County, the state’s largest county,1,294 or 17 percent happened in Pima County, between 102 to 335 overdoes occurred in Mohave, Yavapai, Pinal and Yuma counties, and between 1 to 101 overdoes occurred in the remaining eight counties.

This data is through April 25, 2018.

59%

Men made up 59 percent of the possible overdoes, while women made up 41 percent.

4,917

There were 4,917 naloxone doses given outside of a hospital by emergency medical services, law enforcement and others.

In addition, 13,994 naloxone kits were distributed to the public by pharmacies.

722

722 babies in Arizona have been born with possible withdrawal symptoms related to opiate drugs, otherwise known as Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.

FYI

ADHS says the data provided above and in the rest of the report is preliminary, meaning it is subject to change as cases are confirmed.

FIND THE REST OF THE SERIES

Part One: Conversation with a volunteer from Shot in the Dark

Part Two: Shot in the Dark clients thankful