Health Outcomes

Drug overdose deaths in the United States decreased

between 2022 and 2023, after two decades of near-continuous increases.² Provisional 2024 data

suggest that this positive trend is continuing.³ However, not all regions, racial/ethnic groups or age groups experienced improvements

in overall drug deaths.⁴

Changes over time. Nationally, the drug death rate decreased 3% from 32.4 to 31.4 deaths due to drug injury (unintentional, suicide, homicide or undetermined) per 100,000 population between 2022 and 2023. This rate still exceeds the Healthy People 2030 target to reduce drug overdose deaths to 20.7 deaths per 100,000 population

.⁵ In 2023, 105,000 people in the U.S. died of a drug overdose, 2,900 fewer deaths than in 2022. 

Between 2022 and 2023, the drug death rate significantly decreased:

However, during the same period, the drug death rate significantly increased:

Between 2022 and 2023, the drug death rate significantly decreased in 14 states, but increased in five states. The largest decreases were: 19% in North Carolina (40.3 to 32.5 deaths per 100,000 population), 17% in both Arkansas (20.3 to 16.8) and Indiana (39.3 to 32.7), and 16% in Maine (51.0 to 42.8). The drug death rate increased 41% in Alaska (34.6 to 48.9), 31% in Oregon (32.1 to 42.1), 27% in both Washington (35.0 to 44.5) and Nevada (31.6 to 40.1), and 4% in California (28.1 to 29.2).

Differences. The drug death rate significantly varied by race/ethnicity, geography, age and gender in 2023. The rate was: 

Related Measure: Non-Medical Drug Use
Nationally, the percentage of adults who reported using prescription drugs non-medically (including pain relievers, stimulants and sedatives) or illicit drugs (excluding cannabis) in the last 12 months did not change significantly between 2024 and 2025 (17.6% to 16.8%). In 2025, almost 44.2 million adults reported non-medical drug use. Over the longer term, non-medical drug use increased 49% from 11.3% to 16.8% between 2019 and 2025.

Between 2024 and 2025, non-medical drug use prevalence significantly decreased:

During the same period, non-medical drug use significantly changed in one state. Use decreased 37% in Nevada (39.3% to 24.9%).

Excessive alcohol use is one of the leading preventable causes of death in the U.S., causing an estimated 178,000 deaths

every year, behind tobacco use and poor diet/physical inactivity.⁶ Excessive drinking can lead to alcohol poisoning

, unintentional injuries

, hypertension

, heart disease

, stroke, liver disease, several different cancers and alcohol use disorder

.^7–11

Changes over time. Nationally, the percentage of adults who reported excessive drinking remained stable (16.7% to 17.0%) between 2023 and 2024. Excessive drinking includes both binge drinking (four or more drinks on one occasion in the past 30 days for females or five or more for males) and heavy drinking (eight or more drinks per week for females or 15 or more for males). Long-term, the prevalence decreased 14% (from 19.8%) between 2011 and 2024.

Between 2023 and 2024, excessive drinking prevalence significantly decreased 15% in Hawaii (20.1% to 17.1%). During the same time period, the prevalence significantly increased 10% among adults age 65 and older (6.9% to 7.6%) and 7% among adults ages 45-64 (15.1% to 16.2%).

Differences. Excessive drinking significantly varied by age, geography, race/ethnicity, disability status, income, gender, sexual orientation and educational attainment. In 2024, the prevalence was:

Suicide is a troubling public health issue that leaves a lasting impact

on families and communities.¹² In 2024, 14.3 million

adults seriously thought about suicide, 4.6 million made a plan and 2.2 million attempted suicide.¹³

Changes over time. Nationally, the suicide rate did not significantly change between 2022 and 2023 (14.8 to 14.7 deaths due to intentional self-harm per 100,000 population) and remains higher than the Healthy People 2030 target to reduce the suicide rate to 12.8 deaths per 100,000 population

.¹⁴ In 2023, more than 49,300 suicide deaths occurred in the U.S. Long-term, the suicide rate increased 23% from 12.0 to 14.7 between 2009 and 2023.

Differences. The suicide rate significantly varied by geography, gender, race/ethnicity and age in 2023. The rate was:

Related Measure: Frequent Mental Distress
Nationally, the percentage of adults who reported their mental health was not good 14 or more days in the past 30 days remained stable nationally (15.4% to 15.6%) and significantly increased in one state between 2023 and 2024 (Wisconsin, 14.7% to 17.2%). However, since 2011, the prevalence of frequent mental distress has increased 33% nationally (from 11.7%). 

Premature death is a measure of years of potential life lost due to death occurring before the age of 75. Deaths at younger ages contribute more to the premature death rate than deaths occurring closer to age 75. For example, a person dying at age 70 would lose five years of potential life, whereas a child dying at age five would lose 70 years of potential life. The top five causes

of premature death in 2023 were unintentional injuries, cancer, heart disease, suicide and homicide.¹⁵ In 2023, homicide replaced COVID-19 in the top five and COVID-19 dropped out of the top 10

.¹⁶

Changes over time. Nationally, premature death decreased 8% from 8,522 to 7,862 years lost before age 75 per 100,000 population between 2022 and 2023. During this time frame, the premature death rate decreased in 44 states, led by: 13% in Maine (9,327 to 8,082), 12% in both South Dakota (9,120 to 8,047) and West Virginia (13,647 to 12,053), and 11% in both Indiana (10,167 to 9,093) and Missouri (10,446 to 9,303).

Differences. The premature death rate varied by race/ethnicity and geography. It was: 

Chronic conditions

are health conditions lasting more than a year that require ongoing medical attention and/or limit daily functions such as eating, bathing and mobility.¹⁷ The more chronic conditions an individual has, the higher their risk

of physical, social and cognitive limitations, longer hospital stays

, adverse drug events

and mortality.^17–19

Changes over time. Nationally, the percentage of adults who have three or more of these chronic conditions — arthritis, asthma, cancer (excluding nonmelanoma skin cancer), cardiovascular diseases (heart disease, heart attack or stroke), chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), depression or diabetes — increased 6% from 10.7% to 11.3% of adults between 2023 and 2024. During this time arthritis increased 4% (26.3% to 27.3%), asthma increased 6% (10.3% to 10.9%), cancer increased 4% (8.4% to 8.7%), cardiovascular diseases increased 8% (8.5% to 9.2%), chronic kidney disease increased 8% (3.7% to 4.0%), COPD increased 2% (6.4% to 6.5%) and diabetes increased 4% (11.5% to 12.0%). Depression was the only chronic condition that did not change, remaining at 22.0% in 2024.

Between 2023 and 2024, the prevalence of multiple chronic conditions significantly increased:

During this time frame, the prevalence of multiple chronic conditions significantly increased in six states, with the largest increases being 24% in Texas (8.3% to 10.3%), 20% in Michigan (12.8% to 15.3%), and 17% in both Nebraska (8.4% to 9.8%) and Oklahoma (12.8% to 15.0%). 

Differences. The prevalence of multiple chronic conditions significantly varied by disability status, age, race/ethnicity, income, geography, educational attainment, veteran status, metropolitan status, gender and sexual orientation in 2024. It was:

Related Measure: Obesity
After increasing 23% between 2011 and 2023 (27.8% to 34.3%), the national obesity prevalence among adults remained stable between 2023 and 2024 at 34.2%. The prevalence did not significantly change in any states during this recent period, but it did significantly increase 4% among adults ages 18-44, from 30.0% to 31.3%.