Welcome to the Utah overdose surveillance dashboard
About 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 overdose-related indicators and compares them with data from previous time periods to inform drug overdose prevention efforts. Indicators are geographically represented by counties and local health districts (LHDs).
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.
How to to use the Utah overdose surveillance dashboard
The UPOD main dashboard page displays three drug overdose summary indicators 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, opioid overdose, and opioid prescription data for the state of Utah for the last 5 years. The three counts presented for each opioid summary indicator represent the current year to date, while the charts summarize the last 5 years.
Additional views with more detail, are presented on their respective pages, are interactive and can be filtered. To navigate back to the home overdose dashboard page from any of the more detailed pages, click on theHome
button in the menu at the top.
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.
As of 2025, it is estimated that 11 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.
Data sources
The following partners generously supply the data used for and presented within this website:
- Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Medical Examiner (OME)
- Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Healthcare Information and Analysis Program
- Utah Department of Commerce, Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL)
- Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Violence and Injury Prevention Program (VIPP)
- Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Vital Records and Statistics (OVRS)
- Utah Controlled Substance Database (CSD)
Suggested citation:
Utah Overdose Surveillance Dashboard. Prepared by Utah Department of Health and Human Services | Overdose to Action (OD2A) program. Accessed on 2026-01-20 . 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
- Provides statewide data: The CSD collects data from all Utah retail, institutional, and mail-order pharmacies to create a comprehensive, statewide record of controlled substance dispensing.
- Supports safe opioid prescribing: Utah law requires providers to check the database before prescribing a schedule II or III opioid for the first time. This aligns with statewide opioid prescribing guidelines.
- Helps manage addiction: By tracking use patterns, the database assists in identifying patients who may be struggling with addiction and directs them toward intervention or treatment.
- Combats the opioid epidemic: The CSD helps state officials, including the Controlled Substance Advisory Committee (CSAC) and Poison Control Center, monitor and respond to patterns of substance misuse.
Interactive charts and maps are presented below, presenting temporal trends and geographical distribution of 5 years of CSD precriptions dispensed data for Utah.
Click to expand...
The plots below are configurable using the associated interactive tools below.
To preserve privacy for Utah citizens, as required by law, small numbers (<11) on these plots are drawn at 11, though the real number may be between 1-11. 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.
Configure plots tools
The tools below will apply filtering to the plots above.Data sources
- Utah Controlled Substance Database (CSD)
- Utah Department of Commerce, Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL)
- Data updated: January 13, 2026
Click to expand...
The maps below present LHD area maps of opioid prescriptions dispensed for the last 5 years.
The map is configurable using the associated interactive tools. The analysis was performed by calculating the prescription rate (prescriptions per 100,000 residents) for each LHD and comparing it to the statewide rate for the selected year.
To preserve privacy for Utah citizens, as required by law, small prescriptions counts in a region (<11) have been omitted from the analysis.
Regional rates compared to statewide rate was performed by calculating the standard error (SE) for each rate, then using these SEs to perform a two-sample z-test.
Significant difference is indicated with 95% confidence where the z-score is > the critical value of 1.96.
In regions where the case count is < 11 or the relative standard error (RSE) is > 25%, the regional case rate is not shown.
Definitions
-
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.
Data sources
-
NOTE: This application is using 2025 population estimates for county and LHD populations in 2026 . These 2026 values will be updated when available in 2027 .
- Utah Controlled Substance Database (CSD)
- Utah Department of Commerce, Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL)
- Data updated: January 13, 2026
Numbers of patients prescribed opioids
The chart on this page shows the weekly numbers of patients prescribed opioid drugs.
The data in the chart, by default, present the weekly total number of patients prescribed opioid drugs across the whole state, or within a specific geographic region (i.e., county or local health district (LHD)). The chart can also be configured to display this information as a percentage (ratio), rather than total count, and can be filtered by age group, gender, and the prescribed opioid morphine milligram equivalent (MME) dose level.
Click to expand...
Chart input parameters
- Select county or local health district (LHD) from the dropdown menu.
- Select age group from the dropdown menu.
- Select gender by using radio select buttons.
- Use the MME value slider to show patients’ prescribed opioids having the morphine milligram equivalent (MME) dose level equal to or more than the indicated value on the slider. The default number selected is 90 MME.
- Select to show the number of selected subset or the ratio to whole Utah or the ratio selected whole county or LHD.
View as total number or percentage (ratio)
Three choices exist for viewing the results, based on the geographic region selected:
- Total number of patients: Total numbers of the selected patients.
- Percent of patients in whole state: Ratio of the selected subset to the total value in Utah.
- Percent of patients in county or LHD: Ratio of the selected subset to the total value in the selected county or the selected local health district.
Weekly patients prescribed opioids chart
Opioids morphine milligram equivalent (MME) dispensed to patients
The chart on this page shows the weekly morphine milligram equivalent (MME) of opiod drugs sold to and consumed by patients.
The data in the chart, by default, present the weekly MME values representing opioid drugs sold and consumed by patients across the whole state, or within a specific geographic region (i.e., county or local health district (LHD)). The chart can also be configured to display this information as a percentage (ratio), rather than total count, and can be filtered by age group and gender.
Click to expand...
Chart input parameters
- Select county or local health district (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.
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.
Example: If sold opioid on June 1 with total MME value of 100 and supply days for 5 days, then the estimated consumed opioid MME values for June 1 - June 5 will be 20 every day.
Weekly opioid MME percentage (ratio)
The following percentage values can be viewed as the percentage to the local county/LHD, or to the whole state of Utah.
- 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.
Three choices exist for viewing the results, based on the geographic region selected:
- MME number: Total weekly MME values of the selected patients.
- MME ratio to all Utah: Ratio of the selected subset to the total value in Utah.
- MME ratio to county or LHD: Ratio of the selected subset to the total value in the selected county or the selected local health district.
Weekly opioid MME values or percentage (ratio)
Overdose fatalities
This page contains summary visualizations for drug and opioid overdose deaths. Fatalities concerning any drug (All Drugs), and opioid drugs specifically (Opioid) are shown.
Drug and opioid fatalities are presented on the two tabs below:
- Overdose fatalities charts Time-series charts depict monthly total overdose and opioid fatalities for the last five years.
- Overdose fatalities maps Interactive map depicts annual comparison of drug or opioid fatality rates by LHD or County, compared to the Statewide rate for the selected year.
Click to expand...
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 below. Confirming and certifying toxicology results can take up to 4 months. Values shown for the most-recent four months are depicted inside a grey box, and likely under-represent the true value. This time lag for death certification also creates a false downward slope within the grey box. Keep this in mind when reviewing these plots.
To preserve privacy for Utah citizens, as required by law, small numbers (<11) on these plots are drawn at 11, though the real number may be between 1-11. Actual zeroes are plotted at zero.
https://ibis.utah.gov/ibisph-view/pdf/resource/DataSuppressionSummary.pdf
Drug and opioid overdoses through time
Configure plots tools
Definitions
-
The `Confirmed (ICD-10)` category indicates that one or more ICD-10 codes for drug overdose or poisoning appears in the underlying or contributing cause of death fields on the death record.
Data sources
- Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Medical Examiner (OME)
- Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Healthcare Information and Analysis Program
- Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Violence and Injury Prevention Program (VIPP)
- Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Vital Records and Statistics (OVRS)
- Data updated: January 13, 2026
Click to expand...
The maps below present county and LHD area maps of drug and opioid overdose fatalities for the last 5 years.
The map is configurable using the associated interactive tools. The analysis was performed by calculating the overdose rate (cases per 100,000 residents) for each region and comparing it to the statewide rate for the selected year.
To preserve privacy for Utah citizens, as required by law, small overdose counts in a region (<11) have been omitted from the analysis.
Regional rates compared to statewide rate was performed by calculating the standard error (SE) for each rate, then using these SEs to perform a two-sample z-test.
Significant difference is indicated with 95% confidence where the z-score is > the critical value of 1.96.
In regions where the case count is < 11 or the relative standard error (RSE) is > 25%, the regional case rate is not shown.
Definitions
-
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.
Data sources
-
NOTE: This application is using 2025 population estimates for county and LHD populations in 2026 . These 2026 values will be updated when available in 2027 .
- Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Medical Examiner (OME)
- Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Healthcare Information and Analysis Program
- Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Violence and Injury Prevention Program (VIPP)
- Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Vital Records and Statistics (OVRS)
- Data updated: January 13, 2026
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 news feeds
The cards below present the latest articles made publicly available from the organizations shown. These article lists update automatically, and are here for the interested reader. This content was not used as source material for this dashboard.