Marion County Public Health Department recently released its first quarter report on suspected overdose deaths. The report, which spans from January to March, was a collaborative effort between MCPHD and the Marion County Coroner’s Office. It was made possible by OD2A: LOCAL and grants from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to the report, there were 134 suspected overdose deaths in Marion County during the first quarter of the year, which marked a 28% decrease from the same period in 2023. The deadliest week was from February 23 to March 3, during which 14 of the 134 overdoses occurred.
Toxicology testing was conducted on all but one of the decedents. The report found that approximately 76% of the individuals had fentanyl or some form of fentanyl analog in their systems at the time of their death.
The report also revealed that 68% of the individuals who died of suspected overdoses during the first quarter were men, with an average age of 44. The youngest individual in the report was 17 years old, while the oldest was 75. About 44% of the deaths occurred at the decedents’ residences.
Regarding the individuals who died, 63% were never married and 16% had been divorced at some point. Among the 134 decedents, nearly half had a documented history of mental health conditions such as Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, or PTSD.
The report included a list of Marion County zip codes most affected by overdose deaths, with nearly half (46%) clustered in seven zip codes on both sides of town
