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Overdose totals by county for 2015.
(Pennsylvania State Coroners Association)
More than 3,500 people died from drug overdoses in Pennsylvania in 2015 -- a 30 percent increase from the previous year, according to a report from the Pennsylvania State Coroners Association.
In most of those deaths, numerous drugs were present. But opioids such as heroin and or prescription painkillers were present in nearly 60 percent.
The report, based on autopsy results from all 67 Pennsylvania counties, also found that drugs prescribed to treat addiction or reverse overdoses, such as buprenorphine or Narcan, were found in 14 percent of the overdose victims.
In a new development, the report revealed that fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, was found in three percent of overdose victims.
The report found that 67 percent of overdose victims were men. Eighty-four percent were white, 13 percent were black and three percent were Hispanic.
Per capita overdose deaths by county in 2015.
Coroners in each county determine the causes of unnatural deaths, and often talk to relatives of the victims, enabling them to learn about the circumstances and histories of overdose victims.
The report made several observations regarding overdoses, including noting that while the law requires health insurers to cover addiction treatment just as they would a medical illness, "that parity remains elusive." The report said some insurers don't process treatment admission paperwork on weekends, and cited an apparent shortage of treatment facilities and beds, and facilities willing to take mothers with children, so as to minimize the impact on children of addicts.
The coroners also said there needs to be a more effective means of getting overdose victims into treatment. The report said, "Merely handing someone a card with locations of any treatment programs in the area doesn't appear to be adequate. If someone is ready to commit to getting treatment, suggesting treatment may be available in a couple of days or weeks is not adequate."
The report also said that saving someone with naloxone, now commonly used by police to reverse overdoses, but not providing substantial follow up "is probably just changing the date of death."