Last week’s post looked at the overall increase in deaths across all age groups in 2020-22 over 2018-19. Generally, large increases in 2020 were followed by additional increases in 2021, and then mild to moderate decreases in 2022 (but still well above 2019 levels). That post showed that for most age groups, the large increases were not due primarily to deaths labeled as COVID. The obvious question to investigate is then, to what are the increases attributed?
Although the overdose numbers seem like they're an error, they're likely correct. In recent research I found that overdose deaths had doubled between 2016 and 2021, with provisional data from 2022 and 2023 even worse. These are likely clustered in the young.
This was illuminating for me. I didn't realize drug and alcohol related deaths were such a large portion of the increase in overall deaths. I really didn't realize how stressful the lockdowns were for a lot of people.
Although the overdose numbers seem like they're an error, they're likely correct. In recent research I found that overdose deaths had doubled between 2016 and 2021, with provisional data from 2022 and 2023 even worse. These are likely clustered in the young.
Just added a screenshot from CDC Wonder spot checking the one horrific number I had in the post.
This was illuminating for me. I didn't realize drug and alcohol related deaths were such a large portion of the increase in overall deaths. I really didn't realize how stressful the lockdowns were for a lot of people.