Health Discovery: Poisonings Up Sharply Among Women Over 45

A study of accidental deaths in the United States reveals a troubling new trend: The death rate for white women ages 45 to 64 from unintentional poisoning—most commonly by prescription drug abuse—more than tripled between 1999 and 2005.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that women in this age group had a 230 percent increase in mortality rate due to poisoning, while white men the same age experienced a 137 percent increase. Study coauthor Susan Baker says that the most recent federal data for 2006 show “the death rate for those women increased 273 percent—nearly fourfold.” Baker says the spike in poisoning deaths can be traced to a dramatic increase in the use of powerful painkillers.

Edward Krenzelok, director of the Pittsburgh Poison Center, says painkillers like Percocet and oxycodone “are being tremendously overprescribed.” He adds that people are “naive” about the high risk posed by improper use.

Candy Sagon is a food and health writer in Washington, D.C.