SIG Director Dr. Nabila El-Bassel published an Op-Ed in the Times Union arguing for the need for timely overdose data by race and ethnicity in an article entitled: "Commentary: Data on overdose deaths is key to intervention."
A new op-ed in the Times Union, Commentary: Data on overdose deaths is key to intervention, argues the need for data -- without delays -- is necessary for addressing the overdose epidemic, which is disproportionately impacting Black and brown communities. Dr. El-Bassel writes:
"Overdose no longer primarily impacts white communities. Overdose deaths among Black and Indigenous populations have significantly increased. Overdose deaths among Black individuals rose by 44 percent from 2019 to 2020, about double the proportional increase in deaths among white and Hispanic people. Overdose deaths among American Indian and Alaskan Native American individuals increased by 39 percent."
Therefore, she argues,
"Access to the race/ethnicity data of those affected by the overdose epidemic is key to policy planning and intervention decision-making. Unfortunately, such data is not routinely collected by many administrative data sources and community health care clinics and agencies."
The need for funding for the above data collection is key. Dr. El-Bassel suggests:
"Opioid litigation settlement funding from drug companies should be used to fund data improvements, including infrastructure and technology for the offices of medical examiners/coroners and toxicology labs to process the data more quickly, educate staff on data collection and streamline clearance processes."