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Objectives. To examine trends in overdose deaths by intent and drug category to better understand the recent decrease in overdose suicides amid the overdose epidemic. Methods. We examined trends in rates of overdose deaths by intent (unintentional, suicide, or undetermined) across 9 drug categories from 1999 to 2022 using US National Vital Statistics System mortality data. Results. Unintentional overdoses involving synthetic opioids, polydrug toxicity involving synthetic opioids, psychostimulants, and cocaine increased exponentially with annual percentage changes ranging from 15.0% to 104.9% during 2010 to 2022. The death rates also increased for suicides involving these drugs, especially for psychostimulants (annual percentage change = 12.9% for 2010–2022; P <.001). However, these drugs accounted for relatively small percentages of overdose suicides. The leading drug categories among suicides were antidepressants, prescription opioids, and benzodiazepines, though these deaths have decreased or leveled off in recent years. Conclusions. Different drugs commonly involved in suicides and unintentional overdoses may contribute to their divergent trends. Public Health Implications. Amid the overdose epidemic, safe storage of medications remains a crucial strategy to prevent overdose suicides. The large increases in suicides involving psychostimulants warrant monitoring. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(10):1081–1085. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307745) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Integrating and advancing health equity are a core tenant of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's mission. Comprehensive frameworks that clearly conceptualise equity are needed to prioritise and inform the advancement of health equity within public health., Methods: To help meet this need, the investigative team developed The Continuum of Health Equity Practice & Science (The Continuum). The Continuum was developed in two phases: (1) an initial survey distributed to internal CDC Division of Injury Prevention investigators, and (2) a review of public health frameworks and the current health equity evidence base., Results: The Continuum is a framework that includes seven key components of health equity and ultimately aims to guide public health practice and research towards the advancement of health equity. To illustrate its usefulness, we provide an example using adolescent suicide for each component of The Continuum and demonstrate how this may inform efforts to advance health equity., Conclusion: With a specific focus on conceptualising health equity and addressing systemic inequities, The Continuum may be used to inform efforts to advance equity in injury prevention and beyond., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)