Drug Overdose Dashboard

Description

VDH Drug Overdose Dashboard provides timely and comprehensive data on fatal and nonfatal drug overdoses in Virginia. The dashboard combines information from several public health systems, including emergency department visits, hospital discharges, emergency medical services responses, and deaths investigated by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. It allows users to explore overdose trends by drug type, location, demographics, and time period to better understand the scope of substance use and overdose across the Commonwealth.

How the Community can use the Data

VDH Drug Overdose Dashboard helps community members, public health officials, researchers, and policymakers understand and respond to the overdose crisis. By examining overdose patterns, users can identify emerging trends such as increases in fentanyl-related deaths, regional differences in nonfatal overdoses, and populations at greater risk. These insights can guide prevention strategies, inform policy decisions, support harm reduction and treatment programs, and help communities direct resources where they are most needed.

Data Limitations

The data comes from multiple sources that vary in timeliness, completeness, and purpose. Not all overdoses are recorded, and some cases may not include detailed information about the substances involved. Differences in how overdoses are reported or classified across systems may affect comparability. Data are subject to revision as new information becomes available, and certain details may be limited or aggregated to protect individual privacy.