Deadly overdoses persist in Nashville, Metro Health report says

Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean

Nashville, like many cities, is in the throes of an epidemic of deadly overdoses.

It has persisted for several decades but increased sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic. It wasn't until the first quarter of this year that the Metro Public Health Department saw numbers comparable to the years prior to the pandemic.

Still, the issue persists. Monday the department issued a "spike alert" for overdoses in Nashville, noting the increase "has been most pronounced in the downtown area."

"During the COVID-19 pandemic, overdose deaths spiked across the United States, leading some experts to believe that the overdose epidemic is entering a fourth wave," the department wrote in a recently published report on the overdose epidemic in Nashville. "This new phase appears to be characterized by the widespread use of stimulants, sedatives, and other illicit substances alongside opioids."

More: Nashville police encourage residents to carry Narcan after eight overdoses, two deaths

The department's report, using data from death records, EMS responses and emergency room visits, describes the intimate details of Nashville's struggle with overdoses.

Here are the key takeaways from the report.

Fentanyl leads the numbers in overdose deaths

In the last four years, there have been over 2,500 suspected overdose deaths in Nashville.

"A concerning revelation highlighting the epidemic's upward trajectory shows us that deaths occurring during or after 2020 accounted for over 50% of all suspected overdose deaths since 2010," the report said.

Fentanyl has been the leading contributor to fatal overdoses and was found in over 50% of cases for the first time in 2018. During the pandemic, fentanyl was found in 76% of cases, and that has remained unchanged since, the report said.

Where are overdoses happening in Nashville?

According to data from 2018 to 2022, overdose deaths were most prevalent in four ZIP codes, two north of Nashville around Madison and two south around Antioch.

The most fatal overdoses occurred in the following ZIP codes:

  • 37115: 194 cases

  • 37211: 186 cases

  • 37207: 185 cases

  • 37013: 181 cases

The Nashville Fire Department's response to suspected overdoses peaked during the pandemic at about 5,800 calls for service, and has averaged about the same each year since 2020, the report said.

Mirroring overdose deaths, the areas in North Nashville and South Nashville had the most calls for service related to overdoses.

Who are the fatal overdose patients?

Victims of fatal overdoses in Nashville are largely white, male and between the ages of 25 and 54, according to the report.

"However, a closer look at the data reveals that overdose deaths among Black communities are on the rise, a pattern that is consistent with national trends," the report said.

Using the data from 2018 to 2022, over 2,000 people who died were white and 744 were Black.

Fatal overdose victims were:

  • Younger than 18: 26 people

  • 18-24: 189 people

  • 25-34: 666 people

  • 35-44: 749 people

  • 45-54: 675 people

  • 55-64: 480 people

  • Older than 65: 108 people

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Fatal overdoses remain a concern in Nashville: What to know

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