The opioid overdose epidemic in Connecticut might be stabilizing, according to the state Department of Public Health, but the rate for trips to an emergency department for treatment remains higher than the national rate.
While the number of visits to emergency departments nationally has risen steadily over the last few years, statistics from the state’s EpiCenter syndromic surveillance system indicate that visits to a Connecticut emergency department for opioid overdoses was stable between the third and fourth quarters of 2018, according to the Department of Public Health.
However, the Department of Public Health warns that Connecticut’s rate of visits to an emergency department for suspected opioid overdose was about 1.7 times higher than the national rate.
Efforts to curb the opioid crisis include a public awareness campaign called “Change the Script,” along with treatment, recovery support and overdose prevention initiatives, according to the state.
“It is too early to determine if the current data is reflective of a trend, but we are guardedly optimistic that some of our state prevention efforts could be showing some initial results,” DPH Commissioner Raul Pino said in a statement.
A steady rise in deaths due to drug and opioid overdoses in Connecticut could also be slowing, according to the Department of Public Health.
