A staggering 321,566 children in the United States lost a parent to drug overdose between 2011 and 2021, according to a new study published in JAMA Psychiatry. This figure underscores the profound impact of the overdose crisis on families. During this period, the rate of children experiencing such a loss more than doubled, rising from approximately 27 to 63 children per 100,000.
THE HARROWING STATISTICS
From 2011 to 2021, 649,599 people aged 18 to 64 died from drug overdoses. Among the 321,566 children who lost a parent, the majority of deaths occurred among parents aged 26 to 40 (175,355 children). Non-Hispanic white parents accounted for the highest number of these deaths (234,164), followed by Hispanic parents (40,062) and non-Hispanic Black parents (35,743).
DISPROPORTIONATE EFFECTS ON COMMUNITIES OF COLOUR
The highest number of affected children had non-Hispanic white parents, but the impact was disproportionately severe on communities of colour and tribal communities. Children with non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native parents faced the highest rates of loss, with 187 per 100,000 children affected in 2021—more than double the rate among non-Hispanic white children (76.5 per 100,000) and non-Hispanic Black children (73 per 100,000). Notably, children with young non-Hispanic Black parents (18 to 25 years old) experienced the highest annual rate increase, with a roughly 24% rise each year.
A COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH EFFORT
The study was conducted by researchers from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They used data from the 2010 to 2019 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) to estimate the number of children living with a parent who had used drugs in the past year. These estimates were then applied to national mortality data from the CDC National Vital Statistics System to determine the number of children affected by parental overdose deaths.
THE HUMAN TOLL AND THE NEED FOR SUPPORT
“It is devastating to see that almost half of the people who died of a drug overdose had a child. No family should lose their loved one to an overdose, and each of these deaths represents a tragic loss that could have been prevented,” said Nora Volkow, M.D., NIDA director. She stressed the importance of supporting parents in accessing prevention, treatment, and recovery services to avoid such tragedies. Volkow also emphasized that children who lose a parent to overdose need comprehensive care and support to navigate their trauma.
ADDRESSING RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPARITIES
The study highlights the racial and ethnic disparities in the overdose crisis, reflecting broader trends of increasing overdose deaths among non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native and Black Americans. “This first-of-its-kind study allows us to better understand the tragic magnitude of the overdose crisis and the reverberations it has among children and families,” said Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D., HHS Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and leader of SAMHSA. She called for comprehensive approaches that address the needs of individuals, families, and communities, emphasizing the necessity of culturally-informed prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction services.
BREAKING THE CYCLE
Based on their findings, researchers recommend whole-person health care that prioritizes treating individuals with substance use disorders as parents and family members. This approach should include prevention resources tailored to support families and break the generational cycle of substance use. Allison Arwady, M.D., M.P.H., director of CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, stressed the importance of providing families with resources and support to prevent overdoses and manage the aftermath of such traumatic events.
A CALL TO ACTION
The overdose crisis has left a profound mark on American families, particularly children who have lost parents. The findings underscore the urgent need for improved support systems for affected families, better prevention and treatment resources, and targeted efforts to address racial and ethnic disparities in overdose deaths. By adopting a holistic and culturally-sensitive approach, we can better support families in crisis and work towards preventing future losses.