Mission LISA Estimates Opioids are Responsible for 89% of the Increase in Drug Deaths in 2017

TAMPA, Fla., Oct. 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Roughly 135 people die every day from an opioid overdose in the U.S. However, more information regarding the current scope of the opioid epidemic – the total number of individuals affected by opioid misuse and the epidemic severity within each state – is needed for an impactful intervention. As a guidance to engage in this crisis and to effectively address the total patient population, Mission LISA implores the President's Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as state and county departments of health, to consider the current magnitude of the epidemic and implement prevention, treatment, and intervention efforts based on state severity.

Mission LISA (Learning Indicators of Substance Addiction) conducted an in-depth quantitative analysis of data-based evidence, gathered by academic and government researchers – including those at the CDC and the SAMHSA – regarding the scope of the opioid epidemic. By analyzing and extrapolating reported data, Mission LISA determined an updated magnitude of the national opioid crisis in 2017.

The organization estimated that in the year 2017:

• Nearly 89% of the increase in drug overdose deaths was attributed to opioids.
• Roughly 69% of the total drug overdose deaths were opioid-related.
• Nearly 1.6 million opioid overdoses occurred nationwide.
• Approximately 136 people died from an opioid-related overdose every day.
• Approximately 13.8 million individuals misused opioids.
• Approximately 2.5 million individuals suffered from opioid addiction.
• Roughly 2.1 million individuals misused opioids for the first time during the year.

Data show that the number of drug overdose deaths nationwide in 2017 increased 12.5% from 2016. Specifically, opioids are the key driver in the uptick in drug overdose death counts. State-specific estimates show that Pennsylvania, Florida, California, Ohio, and Texas had the largest numbers in opioid overdose deaths and individuals affected by opioid misuse and opioid addiction during the year. On the other hand, the highest prevalence of opioid misuse and opioid addiction and the highest incidence of opioid misuse in 2017 were seen in West Virginia, the District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Maryland.

Mission LISA's analysis provides an updated scope of the national opioid crisis based on the increase in drug overdose deaths. State-level findings enable stakeholders to consider state severity when allocating funding and resources to address the epidemic adequately. Currently, the amount of state funding released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services correlates to the annual number of opioid overdose deaths per state. However, several areas that suffer from the biggest epidemic burden, namely West Virginia and the District of Columbia, are receiving insufficient funding to address the epidemic. Legislatures can utilize state-specific findings to develop state-level prevention, treatment, and intervention programs, targeting state-specific demands and needs.

Mission LISA will publish additional data-driven analyses and policy recommendations for victims of opioid addiction and overdose. An electronic version of Mission LISA's quantitative analysis can be accessed here: https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/3833907/Mission%20LISA%20Prevalence%20Report/An%20Estimation%20on%20the%20Magnitude%20of%20the%20Opioid%20Epidemic%20in%202017.pdf

To access the infographic summarizing Lumina's findings click here and follow Mission LISA on LinkedIn and Twitter for more policy updates.

About Mission LISA:
Mission LISA is a data aggregation initiative surrounding America's national opioid crisis. Using deep web mining and machine learning technology, Lumina, in partnership with the Mission LISA Foundation, is collecting, synthesizing, and analyzing massive amounts of open-source data to provide policymakers and stakeholders with timely and relevant intelligence surrounding the current state of the crisis and how best to combat nationwide overdose death and addiction. Mission LISA's Advisory Board is comprised of expert physicians, researchers, academics, policy veterans, and industry professionals, who provide strategic direction for ongoing data systems development and analysis. These data drive production of evidence-based policy recommendations and patient-centric treatment pathways, yielding highly targeted solutions for the epidemic. LISA is an acronym for Learning Indicators of Substance Addiction.

About the Mission LISA Foundation:
The Mission LISA Foundation was formed by Lumina as part of its Mission LISA data aggregation project.  Mission LISA was launched by Lumina in 2017 to address the need for more robust and timely data surrounding the opioid crisis in America. For more information, please contact Kris Smeage at [email protected]. Visit www.LuminaAnalytics.com to learn more about Mission LISA technology and data analysis.

About Lumina: 
Lumina is a Tampa-based risk-intelligence firm that provides data aggregation and analytics services to corporate and government clients throughout the United States. Its focus is on the aggregation and synthesis of open-source data for risk sensing intelligence. Lumina uses proprietary machine learning algorithms in combination with artificial intelligence to address some of the world's most pressing problems. The company was founded by serial entrepreneurs Dr. Morten Middelfart (Lumina's Chief Data Scientist) and Allan Martin (Lumina's Chief Executive Officer).

SOURCE Mission LISA Foundation