PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Four more people have died of suspected drug overdoses in Rhode Island in the last week, bringing the total this year to 49, the state health director said Wednesday.
Dr. Michael Fine said the number of people who have died of accidental overdoses in the first eight weeks of 2014 is about twice the normal rate. Health officials have reported an increase in overdose deaths associated with fentanyl, a powerful painkiller that has been implicated in dozens of fatalities across the region, including in combination with heroin.
Fine said the state has made progress in reducing the number of overdose deaths from prescription drugs but that the overall number is still going up. He said more resources should be devoted to prevention and treatment to address a “very significant” overdose problem.
Fine provided the new numbers in an address before members of the General Assembly on the state of the state’s health.
During his remarks, Fine cited progress in some areas of public health. He said rates of breast, lung and colorectal cancer have declined. The state’s teen pregnancy rate has been cut in half in the last five years, and he said Rhode Island’s childhood vaccination program is among the best in the U.S. He also cited “great progress” in a decline in new HIV cases, to 74 last year.
But Fine also noted several areas where the state doesn’t fare as well. Cases of diabetes and high blood pressure are on the rise, along with the obesity rate. Binge drinking is a problem, he said, along with preventable emergency room visits and hospitalizations.
Fine said the adult smoking rate of 17 percent is less than the national average but that more needs to be done to reduce smoking. The state’s goal is to eliminate it among adults by 2030, he said.
Overall, Fine gave the state a grade of B-minus on health.
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