Drug Overdose Death Reporting

MDH’s Injury and Violence Prevention Section monitors all deaths and leading causes of hospitalizations and emergency department visits related to injuries. Beginning in 2011-2012, the growing numbers and rates of overdose deaths reached a level where it became necessary to monitor and report them separately from other types of injury and violence. Since then, MDH has reported this data annually.  

Overview

Overdose deaths are preventable. Drug overdose death reporting is an important public health charge. On an individual level, it allows MDH and others to understand the circumstances that may have led to a person’s death. On a population level, it allows MDH, local public health agencies, treatment providers, and community stakeholders to better understand characteristics of drugs used and demographics of people who die from opioid overdoses to improve prevention efforts across the state. It provides the public with important information to keep them informed about what is happening in their state.

Causes and locations of overdose deaths

Opioid overdose deaths are usually caused by fentanyl or other synthetic opioids, heroin, and/or prescription opioids that may or may not have been prescribed to a person. They can happen anywhere. Common settings where overdose deaths occur include private residences, hospitals, and in other public community settings. The manner of overdose deaths are most commonly found to be accidental/unintentional, suicide, or undetermined. An accidental death is one that was totally unforeseen and unexpected.

Overdose death investigations

Deaths suspected to be caused by drug overdose are usually investigated by a medical examiner or coroner. They determine the manner of death (accidental/unintentional, suicide, etc.) by investigating the circumstances around the death. Circumstances can include:

• Scene findings
• Autopsy results
• Toxicology results
• Health history

Medical examiners and coroners record their findings on a death certificate. Death certificates include the information listed above, along with demographic information about the person who died. If you would like more information on the medical examiner/coroner death investigation process, visit the Office of Justice Program’s Death Investigation: A Guide for the Scene Investigator (PDF)

Data sources

MDH receives data on overdose deaths from:

• Death certificates of Minnesota residents
• Information and notes from death scene investigations
• Medical/EMS records
• Public health lab results

To find statewide and county-level data on nonfatal and fatal overdoses, visit the Minnesota Injury Data Access System (MIDAS) or the MDH Drug Overdose Deaths among Minnesota Residents, 2000-2018 (PDF)

Please visit the Opioid Dashboard for more information on opioid overdose death, nonfatal overdose, use, misuse, substance use disorder, prescribing practices, supply, diversion, harm reduction, co-occurring conditions, and social determinants of health.