Surveillance of Overdose-related Emergency Department Visits in Rhode Island

Authors

  • Matthew Lozier Epidemic Intelligence Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
  • Colleen Martin National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
  • Daniel Chaput Rhode Island Department of Health, Providence, RI, United States

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5210/ojphi.v6i1.5173

Abstract

We determined if the Rhode Island Real-time Outbreak and Disease Surveillance (RODS) system identified an increase in emergency department (ED) overdose visits during a known cluster of illicit-drug overdose deaths in RI and characterized ED overdose visits. When stratified by ED there was a significant increase in overdose chief complaints from one ED during March - May 2013 compared to the previous year. This coincides with the cluster of drug overdose deaths in March 2013. Despite most chief complaints for overdose not specifying cause, syndromic surveillance systems provide an existing platform that could be used to better assess ED overdose visits.

Author Biography

Matthew Lozier, Epidemic Intelligence Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States

Dr. Matthew Lozier is an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the National Center for Environmental Health. Dr. Lozier earned his PhD and MPH in occupational and environmental health from the University of Iowa. In May 2013, he led an investigation in Rhode Island on acetyl fentanyl overdose deaths. His research interests include pesticide exposure assessment, improved cookstoves, and the association between asthma and indoor environmental triggers.

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Published

2014-03-09

How to Cite

Lozier, M., Martin, C., & Chaput, D. (2014). Surveillance of Overdose-related Emergency Department Visits in Rhode Island. Online Journal of Public Health Informatics, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.5210/ojphi.v6i1.5173

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 1 (2014)

Section

Oral Presentations

License

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