ISAC Updates Dashboard, Report on Substance Use in Idaho

The Idaho Statistical Analysis Center (ISAC) is pleased to announce updates to the SEOW Data Dashboard and an accompanying technical report on patterns of substance use and misuse in Idaho.

Leveraging funding from the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics’ State Justice Statistics Program, ISAC collaborated with the Idaho Office of Drug Policy (ODP) and the State Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup (SEOW) to develop the SEOW Data Dashboard, originally published in 2024. The dashboard, which compiles and visualizes over 100 indicators from 11 sources, is a resource that helps shed light on the overall nature of substance use and misuse around the state. Policymakers, practitioners, and the public can use the dashboard to identify trends and emerging issues of interest to them and use the data to plan programs and other activities aimed at addressing those issues or preventing substance misuse in their communities.

The companion technical report, “Substance Misuse in Idaho: Updating the State Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup’s Analytical Framework“, presents additional analyses using the data presented in the SEOW Data Dashboard, and includes discussions of data quality and state-level trends in substance use and misuse.

Some state-level highlights from the project:

 — There is far more data available on alcohol use/misuse and opioids (23 indicators each) than there is for other substances of immediate concern, such as fentanyl (3 indicators) and methamphetamine (7 indicators).

 — About 2 in 5 (44%) Idahoans aged 12 or older reported using alcohol in 2023, slightly below the national average of 45%. In 2021, nearly 11% of Idahoans reported needing treatment for alcohol misuse but not receiving it.

 — Idaho’s opioid overdose death rate was 1.1 times higher in 2024 (10.6 deaths per 100,000 residents) than in 2014 (5.0). More notably, Idaho’s fentanyl overdose death rate in 2024 was 15 times higher (6.4) than in 2012 (0.4). However, the 2024 fentanyl overdose death rate was 36% lower than in 2023 (10.0 deaths per 100,000 residents; the highest year on record).

 — Idahoans report using tobacco products at rates below the national average. In 2023, 1 in 6 (16%) Idahoans aged 12 or older reported using tobacco products, slightly lower than the national average of 18%. In 2021, 19% of Idaho high school students reported having tried cigarettes at least once, above the national average of 18%, and 39% reported using a vape product at least once (above the national average of 36%).

 — A lower percentage of Idahoans aged 12 or older reported using marijuana in 2023 (20%) than the national average (22%), but attitudes around the dangerousness of marijuana use have shifted in recent years. In 2021, 36% of Idaho adults reported having a perception of great risk from using marijuana, down from 51% in 2015.

 — Idaho’s suicide death rate increased 19% between 2014 (19.6 deaths per 100,000 residents) and 2023 (23.3), with 2018 being the year with the highest death rate (23.8). In 2023, 15% of adult Idahoans reported experiencing 14 or more days of poor mental health within the previous month, similar to the national rate, and 4.5% reported that they had seriously considered attempting suicide. Further, 23% reported being diagnosed with depressive disorder, slightly above the national rate (22%).

The SEOW Data Dashboard is available on the SEOW website (https://odp.idaho.gov/seow/) and the full technical report is available in the ISAC Publication Library (https://isp.idaho.gov/pgr/isac/).

The Idaho Statistical Analysis Center (ISAC) is located within the Pass-Through Grants and Research Department of the Idaho State Police. The mission of ISAC is to disseminate research, data and statistics related to crime, illegal drugs, victim services, and the administration of justice in Idaho. To learn more about ISAC, or to access other data dashboards and publications, visit our website at https://isp.idaho.gov/pgr/isac/.

Posted in Grant Publications (PGR), Research Publications (PGR)