Theme: Epidemiology & Public Health Research Year: 2024
Background: Overdose death investigations offer an untapped potential for reaching decedents’ social network members who use drugs and delivering services. However, accessing this population is hindered by the significant delay in reporting and finalizing death certificates for drug overdose (>6 months in the US). We examined the potential for death investigators to share near real-time data on suspected drug overdose fatalities with public health officials.
Methods: We surveyed with 36 death investigators from the county-level, mixed medical examiner/coroner system in New York State. The survey asked about operational characteristics of overdose death investigations and data reporting practices, and barriers for timely identification and reporting of suspected drug overdose deaths.
Results: Survey respondents included medical examiners, coroners, forensic pathologists, medico-legal death investigators, and administrative staff. Very few medical examiner and coroner offices are tracking suspected overdose deaths before death certificates are finalized or sharing preliminary data with local or state public health agencies. Among the few offices that collect such data, there are inconsistencies in how cases are determined to be suspected overdoses. Barriers to the accurate and timely identification and reporting of suspected drug overdose deaths that were highlighted include: lack of statewide governmental oversight, inconsistent data collection and management systems across counties, staffing challenges due to increasing caseloads and high turnover, long turnaround times for autopsy and toxicology testing, lack of training and education, and limited funding. However, three-quarters of respondents agreed that if provided the necessary support, they would be willing to modify their existing procedures to improve data collection and reporting for overdose deaths.
Conclusion: There are many inconsistencies in overdose death investigations and reporting across New York State. Improving the completeness and timeliness of data on overdose deaths is critical for reaching overdose decedent’s social network and delivering interventions.
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