Not all of the deaths attributed to the pandemic have been directly caused by COVID-19.
For months, we’ve heard and reported on the concerns by local health experts that the pandemic is taking a toll on individuals struggling with substance use disorder in Bartholomew County.
Last week, the coroner’s office confirmed some of those predictions in its annual report.
Despite several new treatment programs commencing in 2020, the number of overdose deaths grew last year.
Of the 182 deaths in 2020 investigated by the coroner’s office, 31 were drug overdose deaths — up from 24 in 2019 and the highest since at least 2015, according to the coroner’s office report. A total of 120 people died from drug overdoses in the county from 2015 to 2020.
Most of the drug overdoses deaths involved multiple drugs, though fentanyl turned up in about 55% of overdose cases. Other drugs involved included methamphetamine, which was found in 15 of the cases, and benzodiazepines, a class of drugs that includes Xanax, in 10 cases.
Local officials have said that financial stress, social isolation and a spike in unemployment, led to a surge in local relapses despite more services being offered in 2020.
Ever-changing health guidelines resulted in periodic closings for some of the local drug treatment organizations, with the spread of the virus forcing many in-person recovery meetings to be postponed last year.
Despite the grim numbers in 2020, there’s hope for a massive rebound in 2021.
Thankfully, so far this year, the pace of overdose deaths is down. There were 10 overdose deaths at this point in 2020 compared to one so far this year.
Improving health conditions suggest that more services will be available to those that need it this year.
The public now has a better understanding of the virus, and treatment services have adapted to health guidelines. As more people get vaccinated, the service options will continue to grow.
It’s important that the treatment programs in place continue to be supported by the community. It will take a lot of hard work, but the county can start turning the corner on its substance abuse issues in the coming months.
