Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN)

Short Report | Drug-related ED visits involving suicide attempts

The Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) is a public health surveillance system that monitors emerging 

trends and characteristics of drug-related emergency department (ED) visits. This report focuses on 

estimates of drug-related ED visits involving suicide attempts from January 2021 through March 2023.

National Estimate | Annual rate

51 drug-related ED visits involving suicide attempts per 100,000 people

National Characteristics | Rate of drug-related ED visits involving suicide attempts per 

100,000 people (Patterned bars are statistically significant higher rates compared with solid bars.)

AGE

Adolescents (12 to 17 years) had the highest rate— 

148 visits per 100,000 adolescents.

SEX AT BIRTH

Females had the highest 

rate—64 visits per 

100,000 females.

RACE

Rate for Native Hawaiian or 

Pacific Islander is suppressed 

due to sample size 

Black or African Americans had the highest rate— 

58 visits per 100,000 Black or African Americans.

ETHNICITY

Not Hispanic had the highest 

rate—51 visits per 100,000 

Not Hispanic individuals.
Drug-related ED visits involving suicide attempts 2

Age and Sex Differences

National Age–Sex Distribution | Rate by age of drug-related ED visits involving suicide 

attempts per 100,000 females (patterned bars) or males (solid bars)

Rate for males 0 to 11 years is suppressed due to sample size 

Adolescents (12 to 17 years) and young adults (18 to 25 years) had the highest rates of drug-related ED visits 

involving suicide attempts, but there were significant differences between females and males.

Among individuals 12 to 17 years, 

females had higher rates— 

231 per 100,000 females* compared 

with 66 per 100,000 males.

Among individuals 18 to 25 years, 

females had higher rates — 

145 per 100,000 females* compared 

with 73 per 100,000 males.

*The higher rate is statistically different than the lower rate.
Drug-related ED visits involving suicide attempts 3

Substance Mentions

Top Substances | Substances with the highest percentage of mentions among all drug-related 

ED visits involving suicide attempts

Alcohol was the most frequently 

mentioned substance in these 

types of visits.

METHODS

ED records of participating hospitals from January 2021 through March 2023 were manually reviewed, and required 

indication of drug involvement and documentation of a suicide attempt to be included. Data were weighted to 

produce nationally representative estimates. Unadjusted rates were calculated using the midpoint population. 

See https://www.samhsa.gov/data/data-we-collect/dawn-drug-abuse-warning-network for more 

information on weighting and estimation methods.

SAMHSA’s Suicide Prevention Resources

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Call or text 988 if you or 

someone you know is 

struggling or in crisis for 

free and confidential 

support available 24/7

FindTreatment.gov

Find confidential and 

anonymous resources for 

treatment for mental and 

substance use disorders

Find Support

Find healthcare or support 

for issues with mental 

health, drugs, or alcohol

Suicide Safe Mobile App

Free mobile app that helps 

providers integrate suicide 

prevention strategies into their 

practice and address suicide 

risk among their patients