Welcome to the Utah overdose surveillance dashboard

* NOTE: The drug and opioid overdose death `Not to exceed` values are taken to be the previous year's value - 10%.

Why is drug overdose and prescription data important?

Drug poisoning deaths are a preventable public health problem; they are the leading cause of injury death in Utah, outpacing deaths due to firearms, falls, and motor vehicle crashes.

Ten Utahns die each week from drug overdose. Utah is particularly affected by illicit opioids, specifically fentanyl, and methamphetamine which are responsible for nearly half of the unintentional and undetermined drug poisoning deaths in the state.

Utah's drug overdose death rate increased significantly from 2000 to 2015 and has remained at peak levels since. Methamphetamine surpassed fentanyl in 2024 as the most commonly involved drug in overdoses. While prescription opioid overdoses have been higher in the past, deaths from prescription opioids continue to trend downward.

What's here

Interactive visualizations are presented on the remaining pages of this dashboard, accessible from the navigation links at the top of the site.

  • Prescriptions | 5-year summaries of opioid prescriptions dispensed, numbers of patients prescribed opioids, and opioids morphine milligram equivalents (MME) dispensed to hospital patients.
  • Drug overdose | 5-year summaries of overdose fatalities and related information through time and by geographic areas.
  • About program | OD2A program information and Links to additional related resources.

Data sources

The following partners generously supply the data used for and presented within this website:

  1. Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Medical Examiner

  2. Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Health Information and Analysis Program

  3. Utah Department of Commerce, Division of Professional Licensing

  4. Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Violence and Injury Prevention Program

  5. Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Vital Records and Statistics

  6. Utah Naloxone Organization

Suggested citation:

Utah Overdose Surveillance Dashboard. Prepared by Utah Department of Health and Human Services | Overdose to Action (OD2A) program. Accessed on 2025-09-23 . https://dhhs.utah.gov/health-dashboards/opioid-data/

Prescriptions dispensed

This indicator includes select dispensed prescription opioids entered into the state Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, or PDMP. PDMPs are a promising, state-level intervention used to decrease opioid overprescribing, inform licensed clinicians, and protect patients from harm.

The Utah Controlled Substance Database (CSD) Utah's PDMP, was legislatively created and put into effect on July 1, 1995. The CSD collects data on the dispensing of Schedule II-V drugs from all retail, institutional, and outpatient hospital pharmacies, and in-state/out-of-state mail order pharmacies.

Why is the CSD important?

Drug poisoning continues to be the leading cause of injury death in Utah.

Interactive charts and maps are presented below, presenting temporal trends and geographical distribution of 5 years of CSD precriptions dispensed data for Utah.

The plots below are configurable using the associated interactive tools.

To preserve privacy for Utah citizens, as required by law, small numbers (<10) on these plots are drawn at 10, though the real number may be between 1-10. Actual zeroes are plotted at zero.

Dispensed prescription data for controlled substances can be reported or corrected after the drug was dispensed. Therefore, the historic prescription data is subject to subsequent updating.

The most recent CDC milligrams of morphine equivalent (MME) file was used to identify select opioids in PDMP data.

<-- Scroll plots -->

Configure plots tools

The maps below present county and LHD area maps of opioid prescriptions dispensed for the last 5 years.

The maps below are congigurable using the associated interactive tools.

Within the maps below, it is possible to view the results on a per-100,000 residents basis. This view accounts for the estimated population of the geographic area of interest in the given year. Where population data is not yet available for the more recent years, the previous year's value has been used.

Take note of the Relative Standard Error (RSE) values when viewing results on a per-100,000 residents basis. Adult health data often are marked as being unreliable if they are based on fewer than 20 cases or deaths, or the calculated RSE is >25%.

To preserve privacy for Utah citizens, as required by law, small numbers (<10) on these plots are drawn at 10, though the real number may be between 1-10.

Geographic summaries by year

<-- Scroll maps -->

Configure maps tools

Note

  • Relative Standard Error (RSE) is provided to aid interpretation of results viewed as "Per 100k". Adult health data often are marked as being unreliable if they are based on fewer than 20 cases or deaths, or the calculated RSE is >25%.

    The RSE is defined most simply as 1/sqrt(N), where N is the number of cases or deaths. Take care in interpretation of the data where the reported RSE is above ~25%. For example, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) does not publish or release rates based on fewer than 20 observations (~RSE 22%).

    For more information see This Site , which has an excellent discussion of the topic.

Numbers of patients prescribed opioids


                        

                        

                        

                         See Description Tab for the description of the chart
                      

                    

                  

                  

                    
Description

                    
The chart shows the weekly numbers or ratios of the selected subset of the patients with prescribed opioid drugs. Saturday is used as the last day of the week.


Weekly patient numbers or ratios


    

  • Select county or local health department (LHD) from the dropdown menu.
    • 

  • Select age group from the dropdown menu.
    • 

  • Select gender by using radio select buttons.
    • 

  • Use MME value slider to show patients’ consumed opioid having the MME value equal or more than the indicated value on the slider. The default number shows the patients’ estimated consumed opioid with MME 90 or more.
    • 

  • Select to show the number of selected subset or the ratio to whole Utah or the ratio selected whole county or LHD.


        * Point with a star * indicate the patient number is between 1 and 10.
    • 



Number or ratio


Number: Total numbers of the selected patients. 

Ratio to All Utah: Ratio of the selected subset to the total value in Utah. 

Ratio to County or LHD: Ratio of the selected subset to the total value in the selected county or the selected local health department. 



                      *  Go to the chart
                  

                

              

            

          

        

        

          

            
Opioids MME dispensed to patients

            

          

          

            

              

                
                

                  

                    

                      

                        
                      

                      

                        
                        

                        

                        

                        

                        

                         See Description Tab for the description of the chart
                      

                    

                  

                  

                    
Description

                    
The chart shows the weekly MME values or ratios of the sold and estimated consumed prescribed opioids. Saturday is used as the last day of the week. 


    

  • Select county or local health department (LHD) from the dropdown menu.
    • 

  • Select age group from the dropdown menu.
    • 

  • Select gender by using radio select buttons.
    • 

  • Select to show the number of selected subset or the ratio to whole Utah or the ratio selected whole county or LHD.
    • 



Weekly opioid MME values


    

  • Weekly sold opioid MME values: Purple symbol and line.
    • 

  • Weekly estimated consumed opioid MME values: Blue symbol and line.
    • 



* Point with a star * indicates the MME value of the point is between 0 and 100 MME (Number) or 0 and 10% (Ratio)


Weekly sold opioid MME values are based on the sold date, that patients received the opioid. 

Weekly estimated consumed opioid MME values are based on estimate at patient took the opioid drug accourding to supply days on the prescriptions. e.g. if sold opioid on June 1st with total MME value of 100 and supply days for 5 days, then the estimated consumed opioid MME values for June 1st - June 5th will be 20 every day. 


Ratio of weekly opioid MME values


    

  • Percent of the Weekly sold opioid MME values: Purple symbol and line.
    • 

  • Percent of the Weekly estimated consumed opioid MME values: Blue symbol and line.
    • 



Number: Total weekly MME values of the selected patients. 

Ratio to All Utah: Ratio of the selected subset to the total value in Utah. 

Ratio to County or LHD: Ratio of the selected subset to the total value in the selected county or the selected local health department. 



                      *  Go to the chart
                  

                

              

            

          

        

        

          

            
Overdose fatalities

            

          

          

            
This page contains summary visualizations for 
                confirmed drug and opioid overdose deaths. 
                Fatalities concerning any drug (All Drugs), and opioid drugs
                specifically (Opioid) are shown.

            
Drug and opioid fatalities are presented in various ways on this 
                  page including temporal distribution, demographic distribution 
                and geographic distribution.

            

              
                * NOTE:
                Overdose fatalities can take up to 4 
            months to be certified. As a result, overdose counts are not shown 
            for the most recent 4 months.
              
            

          

          

            

              
              

                

                  

                    
                      
                      

                        

                          
                          

                        

                      

                    
                    

                      
The plots below present time series plots for
                            drug and opioid overdose fatalities for the last 5 years.

                      
The plots below are configurable using the associated interactive tools.
                                Suspected, drug-related fatalities are categorized as such in the absence
                                of definitive toxicology results to confirm the suspicion. Upon receipt of
                                toxicology results, which can take several months, suspected
                                drug-related fatalities are re-categorized as confirmed drug-related fatalities.
                                This factor also creates a false downward slope in the most recent (right side)
                                portion of the time series plot representing preliminary information which
                                has not yet been confirmed and an ICD-10 code issued.
                                Keep this in mind when reviewing these plots.

                      
To preserve privacy for Utah citizens, as required by law,
                                small numbers (<10) on these plots are drawn at 10, though the
                                real number may be between 1-10. Actual zeroes are plotted at zero.

                      

                        https://ibis.utah.gov/ibisph-view/pdf/resource/DataSuppressionSummary.pdf
                      

                    

                    
Drug and opioid overdoses through time

                  

                  

                    

                  

                  
                    
<-- Scroll plots -->

                  
                  
Configure plots tools

                  

                    

                  

                

                

                  

                    
                      
                      

                        

                          
                          

                        

                      

                    
                    

                      
The maps below present county and LHD area
                                maps of drug and opioid overdose fatalities for the last 5 years.

                      
The maps below are congigurable using the associated interactive tools.
                                Suspected, drug-related fatalities are categorized as such in the absence
                                of definitive toxicology results to confirm the suspicion. Upon receipt of
                                toxicology results, which can take several months, suspected
                                drug-related fatalities are re-categorized as confirmed drug-related fatalities.

                      
Within the maps below, it is possible to view the results on
                                a per-100,000 residents basis. This view accounts for the estimated
                                population of the geographic area of interest in the given year.
                                Where population data is not yet available for the more recent years,
                                the previous year's value has been used.

                      

                        Take note of the Relative Standard Error (RSE) values
                        when viewing results on a per-100,000 residents basis. Adult health
                                data often are marked as being unreliable if they are based on
                                fewer than 20 cases or deaths, or the calculated RSE is >25%.
                      

                      
To preserve privacy for Utah citizens, as required by law,
                                small numbers (<10) on these plots are drawn at 10, though the
                                real number may be between 1-10. Actual zeroes are plotted at zero.

                    

                    

                      
Geographic summaries by year

                      

                        

                      

                    

                    
                      
<-- Scroll maps -->

                    
                    

                      
Configure maps tools

                      

                        

                      

                      

                        
Note

                        

                          
    
                            
  • 
                              
    
                                Relative Standard Error (RSE)
                                is provided to aid interpretation of results viewed
                        as "Per 100k". Adult health data often are marked as being unreliable if they are based
                        on fewer than 20 cases or deaths, or the calculated RSE is >25%.
                              
    
                              
    The RSE is defined most simply as 1/sqrt(N), where N is the number of cases or deaths.
                        Take care in interpretation of the data where the reported RSE is above ~25%.
                        For example, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) does not publish
                        or release rates based on fewer than 20 observations (~RSE 22%).
    
                              
    
                                For more information see
                                This Site
                                , which has an excellent discussion of the topic.
                              
    
                            
    • 
                          

                        

                      

                    

                  

                

              

            

          

        

        

          
How to to use the Utah overdose surveillance dashboard

          
The Utah Public Overdose Dashboard (UPOD) is an interactive
            visual presentation of indicators tracking overdose data in Utah.

          
Public health indicators are metrics used to track the health status
            of a population. The intent of the UPOD is to provide actionable data
            related to the drug overdose epidemic.

          
The dashboard provides an overview of current data for
            opioid-related indicators and compares them with data from previous
            time periods to inform drug overdose prevention efforts. Indicators
            are geographically represented by counties and Utah Small Areas* through maps,
            figures, and tables. The Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
            is constantly working with data stewards to improve the timeliness and
            quality of the data presented.

          

            
 "Utah Small Areas" refers to a set of geographic areas in Utah
                with population sizes ranging from approximately 15,000 to 60,000
                persons. Areas are determined based on specific criteria, including
                population size, political boundaries of cities and towns, and
                economic similarity. Dashboard views that are reported by Small
                Area are those with events occurring within a community often
                enough to be meaningful.

          

          
The UPOD main dashboard page consists of a set of four drug overdose
            summary indicators that appear at the top of the page. Additional data
            views are located on additional pages, accessed from the menu at the
            top of the dashboard.

          
The summary indicators provide a quick look at drug overdose data for
            the state of Utah. The counts provided for each opioid summary indicator
            represent the most recent year that data are available for the specific
            indicator. Additional views, located on their respective pages, are
            dynamic and can be filtered.

          
            To navigate back to the home overdose dashboard page
            from the dynamic data breakout page, click on the
            Home
            
            button in the menu at the top.
          
        

        

          
Resources and contact information

          
This page contains links to more programs and information about 
          Utah's drug and opioid programs.

          
Drug poisoning deaths are a preventable public health problem; they 
          are the leading cause of injury death in Utah, outpacing deaths due 
          to firearms, falls, and motor vehicle crashes. Ten Utahns die each 
          week from drug overdose. Utah is particularly affected by illicit 
          opioids, specifically fentanyl, which is responsible for 33% of the 
          unintentional and undetermined drug poisoning deaths in the state.

          

            

              
State and federal opioid and drug-related organizations

              

            

            

              
Substance abuse and public health RSS feeds