Tennessee has the highest rate of opioid use disorder in the nation
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Tennessee had the highest rate of opioid use disorder diagnoses last year, according to data from FAIR Health's Opioid Tracker.
Why it matters: The ongoing opioid epidemic has ravaged Tennessee for years, and the new data shows that the challenge has continued to snowball.
Zoom in: The diagnosis rate has skyrocketed since 2021, according to FAIR Health's data.
- Then, 381 out of every 100,000 Tennessee patients with insurance were treated for opioid use disorder.
- By 2024, Tennessee's rate had climbed to 1,447 out of 100,000. That is almost triple the national figure.
Between the lines: Tennessee patients of all ages and backgrounds have been diagnosed with opioid use disorder, meaning treatment and preventative efforts have to apply broadly.
Threat level: The consequences of opioid use disorder can be deadly. Fatal overdoses driven by the prevalence of opioids have dragged down Tennessee's life expectancy.
- In 2023, Tennessee reported 2,936 overdose deaths tied to opioids.
- Prescription opioids were involved in 422 of the fatal overdoses, per state data.
Reality check: While overdose deaths have been declining slightly in the short term, the diagnosis rates show the crisis is ongoing.
The big picture: The state is pumping millions of dollars toward overdose prevention in recent years, using money from lawsuit settlements with drug manufacturers, pharmacies and other parties connected to the opioid crisis.
- Grants are being doled out in waves by the Opioid Abatement Council.
The latest: The most recent round of 42 grants is funding treatment at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, recovery support for men getting out of prison, and the development of education and prevention for children.
- A major prong of state and local work has been expanding access to naloxone, a medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
- Emergency boxes of the medicine have been posted in schools, music venues and sports stadiums.
The bottom line: The opioid crisis cuts across demographics and income levels, putting government officials, health systems and insurers under mounting pressure to manage addiction treatment.