A new Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Statistical Brief found the population rate of emergency department (ED) visits related to substance use disorders (SUDs) was 28.5 ED visits per 1,000 population in 2019. The rate was highest among Black non-Hispanic individuals (48.3 ED visits per 1,000 population) and lowest for Asian/Pacific Islander non-Hispanic individuals (5.3 ED visits per 1,000 population).
The HCUP Statistical Brief #301 Racial and Ethnic Differences in Emergency Department Visits Related to Substance Use Disorders, 2019, presents statistics on SUD-related ED visits by patient race and ethnicity using weighted estimates from the 2019 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS). SUDs include disorders involving alcohol, cannabis, stimulants, opioids, sedatives, hallucinogens, and inhalants, as well as other substances. The number and percentage of SUD-related ED visits are presented for select patient characteristics and primary expected payer. The population rate of SUD-related ED visits is presented by race and ethnicity for select demographic characteristics, including sex, age group, rural/urban location, and the social vulnerability of the county in which the individual resides (i.e., community’s ability to prevent human suffering and financial loss during a disaster).
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