DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILES OF OC OPIOIDRELATED OVERDOSE DEATHS

Between 2017 and 2021, approximately 73.9%, or 1,488, of opioid-related overdose deaths were males (Table 5). The majority of deaths were among White residents accounting for nearly two-thirds (n=1,308, 64.9%) of opioid-related overdose deaths, followed by Hispanic/Latino (n=538, 26.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (n=69, 3.4%), Other (n=56, 2.8%), and Black residents (n=43, 2.1%). Individuals aged 25-34 years comprised the highest number of opioid-related overdose deaths (n=543, 27.0%). The second largest group was 35-44 years of age (n=387, 19.2%) followed by the group of 45-54 years of age (n=342, 17.0%). The overall death rate from opioid-related overdose deaths nearly tripled in 2021 (23.2 per 100,000 persons) from 2017 (7.9 per 100,000 persons).

TABLE 5. DEMOGRAPHICS OF OPIOID-RELATED OVERDOSE DEATHS IN OC, 2017-2021

2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Total % of Total

Gender

Male 174 178 182 391 563 1,488 73.9 Female 77 73 85 111 180 526 26.1

Race/Ethnicity

White 182 195 191 309 431 1,308 64.9 Hispanic/Latino 52 42 58 148 238 538 26.7 Asian/Pacific Islander 8 6 6 25 24 69 3.4 Black 2 2 2 10 27 43 2.1 Other 7 6 10 10 23 56 2.8

Age 0-9 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.0 10-17 1 0 1 7 19 28 1.4 18-24 38 40 27 76 82 263 13.1 25-34 64 54 83 146 196 543 27.0 35-44 40 45 44 82 176 387 19.2 45-54 33 41 47 94 127 342 17.0 55-64 55 58 45 69 111 338 16.8 65+ 20 13 20 27 32 112 5.6 Total Deaths 251 251 267 502 743 2,014 Rate (per 100,000) 7.9 7.9 8.4 15.7 23.2

When examining death rates by demographics, Black residents and children aged 10-17 years demonstrated the largest percent increases within their categories between 2017 and 2021 (Table 6). The death rate for Black residents increased 1,200% from 4.1 per 100,000 persons in 2017 to 54.5 per 100,000 persons in 2021. The death rate among Hispanic/Latino residents was the second highest percent increase of 350%

Opioid Overdose Deaths in Orange County, 2017 – 2021 from 4.6 per 100,000 persons in 2017 to 20.8 per 100,000 persons in 2021. Children aged 10-17 years experienced the highest death rate increase among all age groups of more than 1800% from 2017 (0.3 per 100,000 persons) to 2021 (5.8 per 100,000 persons). Additionally, this age group only had 2 deaths prior to 2020 but jumped in 2020 and 2021.

TABLE 6. DEMOGRAPHIC RATES OF OPIOID-RELATED OVERDOSE DEATHS IN OC, 2017-2021

2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Gender

Male 11.0 11.2 11.4 24.6 35.2 Female 4.8 4.6 5.3 6.9 11.2

Race/Ethnicity

White 13.5 14.5 14.3 23.3 32.4 Hispanic/Latino 4.6 3.7 5.1 13.0 20.8 Asian/Pacific Islander 1.4 1.0 1.0 4.2 4.1 Black 4.1 4.1 4.1 20.4 54.5 Other 8.0 6.9 11.1 11.0 24.8 Age 0-9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 10-17 0.3 0.0 0.3 2.1 5.8 18-24 11.2 11.8 8.2 23.2 25.2 25-34 16.4 13.8 21.5 38.1 50.6 35-44 9.8 11.0 10.8 20.2 43.6 45-54 7.1 8.9 10.4 21.2 28.9 55-64 13.7 14.5 10.9 16.6 26.6 65+ 4.3 2.8 4.0 5.3 6.0 Total Death Rate 7.9 7.9 8.4 15.7 23.2