At what age is accidental poisoning & overdose most likely to be the cause of death?

For men, accidental poisoning & overdose takes its largest share of deaths at 25–29: 6.3% of the risk of dying in the next 10 years, in the median of the 36 countries that publish causes of death by age.

Which country has the highest risk of dying of accidental poisoning or overdose?

Of the 36 countries that publish causes of death by age, United States has the highest lifetime chance of dying of accidental poisoning or overdose for men (2.8%), and Austria the lowest (0.08%).

Injuries & violence

Who dies of accidental poisoning or overdose?

Name: Risk of dying of accidental poisoning or overdose by age, sex and country
Creator: Odainn

In the median of the 36 countries that publish causes of death by age, 0.26% of men and 0.13% of women eventually die of accidental poisoning or overdose. It is the most likely cause of death in 43 of their 1,152 country, sex and age groups.

This is one of the most preventable causes of death. If you or someone you love is struggling, free and confidential help is available — in the US and Canada call or text 988, in the UK call Samaritans on 116 123, anywhere else find a helpline at findahelpline.com.

The risk by age

Chance of dying of accidental poisoning or overdose within 10 years, and its share of all the risk at that age — the median of 36 countries. Your own country's numbers are one click away on its page.

Age	men	women
15–19	0.02% (4.5% of the risk)	<0.01% (3.2% of the risk)
20–24	0.03% (5.1% of the risk)	<0.01% (3.8% of the risk)
25–29	0.04% (6.3% of the risk)	0.01% (3.3% of the risk)
30–34	0.05% (5.9% of the risk)	0.01% (2.7% of the risk)
35–39	0.07% (4.1% of the risk)	0.02% (2.0% of the risk)
40–44	0.07% (2.7% of the risk)	0.02% (1.4% of the risk)
45–49	0.07% (1.6% of the risk)	0.02% (0.98% of the risk)
50–54	0.06% (0.95% of the risk)	0.02% (0.48% of the risk)
55–59	0.04% (0.43% of the risk)	0.02% (0.32% of the risk)
60–64	0.03% (0.20% of the risk)	0.02% (0.21% of the risk)
65–69	0.03% (0.13% of the risk)	0.02% (0.13% of the risk)
70–74	0.02% (0.06% of the risk)	0.02% (0.07% of the risk)
75–79	0.02% (0.05% of the risk)	0.02% (0.04% of the risk)
80–84	0.02% (0.03% of the risk)	0.02% (0.03% of the risk)
85–89	0.02% (0.02% of the risk)	0.02% (0.02% of the risk)
90–94	0.01% (0.02% of the risk)	0.01% (0.01% of the risk)

Where it's the most likely cause of death

Men 15–19: Canada, Iceland
Men 20–24: Canada, Iceland, United States
Men 25–29: Canada, Iceland, United States
Men 30–34: Canada, Estonia, United Kingdom, United States
Men 35–39: Canada, United Kingdom, United States
Men 40–44: Canada, United States
Men 45–49: Canada
Women 15–19: Canada, Iceland, United States
Women 20–24: Canada, Iceland, Ireland, United States
Women 25–29: Canada, Estonia, Iceland, Ireland, United Kingdom, United States
Women 30–34: Canada, Iceland, Ireland, United Kingdom, United States
Women 35–39: Canada, Iceland, United Kingdom, United States
Women 40–44: Canada, United States
Women 45–49: United States

Lifetime chance, men: highest and lowest countries

Lifetime chance, women: highest and lowest countries

What changes the odds

What you can do

Treatment for drug use works and is confidential.
Never mix opioids with alcohol or sedatives, and don't use alone.
Where it's available, carry naloxone — it reverses an opioid overdose.
Keep medicines and chemicals locked away from children.

What the evidence says

Treatment with methadone cuts the risk of death about threefold while people stay in it (11 vs 36 deaths per 1,000 a year). — Sordo et al., BMJ 2017 (19 cohorts, 122,885 people)
Where many people were trained and given nasal naloxone, overdose deaths fell by 46%. — Walley et al., BMJ 2013 (Massachusetts)

Act fast: Someone who can't be woken or is breathing very slowly: call your emergency number now, and give naloxone if you have it.

Sources: WHO: Opioid overdose (fact sheet); European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA); Sordo L et al. BMJ 2017;357:j1550; Walley AY et al. BMJ 2013;346:f174. General guidance, not medical advice.

See your own numbers

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<a href="https://odainn.com/causes/accidental-poisoning-and-overdose"><img src="https://odainn.com/causes/accidental-poisoning-and-overdose/opengraph-image" alt="Who dies of accidental poisoning or overdose? The lifetime chance by country" width="600" style="max-width:100%;height:auto"></a><br><small>Source: <a href="https://odainn.com/causes/accidental-poisoning-and-overdose">Odainn</a>, computed from official mortality statistics</small>

Questions

At what age is accidental poisoning & overdose most likely to be the cause of death?: For men, accidental poisoning & overdose takes its largest share of deaths at 25–29: 6.3% of the risk of dying in the next 10 years, in the median of the 36 countries that publish causes of death by age.
Which country has the highest risk of dying of accidental poisoning or overdose?: Of the 36 countries that publish causes of death by age, United States has the highest lifetime chance of dying of accidental poisoning or overdose for men (2.8%), and Austria the lowest (0.08%).

Computed by Odainn from official mortality statistics (Eurostat; ONS, NRS and NISRA; CDC; Statistics Canada) for 36 countries, latest years — how we calculate. Belarus is left out: deaths by cause and age aren't published together there, so the split by cause is our estimate. Population statistics, not a prediction for any individual. Educational, not medical advice.