Delaware is like the rest of the United States in the sense that it has high rates of substance abuse and addiction. Among its residents, the most common drugs of abuse include opioids.
The state has currently been losing the battle against opioid abuse and addiction. This is surprising considering that most of the drugs in this category that are found in Delaware come from elsewhere.
In 2015, for instance, doctors wrote more than 760,000 new prescriptions for OPRs or opioid pain relief medications. This was at a rate of about 80 new prescriptions for every segment of 100 people.
Although more of its residents are increasingly aware of the various dangers associated with this class of drugs, there has been a rise in the total number of deaths involving opioids. This is particularly true in New Castle County.
In 2018, the NSDUH - the National Survey on Drug Use and Health - released by SAMHSA - the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration - showed that 88 percent of the 401 deaths related to a drug overdose involved opioids. The exact figure was a total of 355 deaths, at a rate of 39.3 deaths for every segment of 100,000 people.
The same year, doctors, physicians, and other health care providers in the state wrote a total of 60.6 prescriptions for opioid medications for every segment of 100 people in the state. This was higher than the total national rate of opioid medication prescription of 51.4 prescriptions for every segment of 100 people.
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (or NAS) and Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (or NOWS) are also quite common in the state. This is not exactly surprising considering that many expectant mothers in Delaware abuse prescription opioids.
In 2017, the state reported 24.3 cases of these syndromes for every segment of 1,000 births that occurred in its hospitals. This number might be higher considering that not every birth occurs in a hospital.
Of all the new diagnoses of HIV that were reported in Delaware in 2017, 126 were reported as happening among its residents. This was at a rate of 15.5 diagnoses for every segment of 100,000 people.
11.2 percent of these diagnoses were linked to male to male sexual liaison or intravenous drug use. 22.2 percent of all the diagnoses that occurred among female clients were linked to intravenous drug use.
In 2017, the state reported 4 new diagnoses of acute hepatitis C or HCV. This was at a rate of 0.4 new cases for every segment of 100,000 people. This rate was lower than the new cases reported at the national level.
In case you have been struggling with a substance use disorder involving opioids or any other drugs, it is recommended that you seek help from an addiction treatment and rehabilitation facility. Delaware has many of these facilities and most of them are licensed and accredited to help clients get started on the road to long term wellness and health.