In this cross-sectional study from 2011 to 2021, an estimated 321 566 community-dwelling children in the US lost a parent aged 18 to 64 years to drug overdose, and the rate of children who lost a parent to overdose increased during this period. In 2021, the highest rate was found among non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native individuals.
The findings indicate that responses to the overdose crisis should account for the full burden of overdose on families and children, including addressing the economic, social, educational, and health care needs of children who have lost parents to overdose.
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