HPIO data brief identifies four drivers of early death in Ohio

The Health Policy Institute of Ohio has released a new publication titled “2024 Health Value Dashboard Data Brief: What’s Driving the Trend on Early Death?”. 

Using data from the 2024 Health Value Dashboard, the brief explores the experiences and environments that lead to deaths among working-age Ohioans (ages 15-64) and provides a set of policies to drive improvement. 

Previous HPIO analysis of death trends among working-age Ohioans found that Ohioans between the ages of 15 and 64 are dying at a much higher rate than they were 15 years ago, as illustrated above. Data from the recently released 2024 Dashboard shows four factors that are driving this trend: 

• Addiction and overdose 
• Alcohol overuse 
• Tobacco use 
• Violence and firearms

“The biggest increases in the leading causes of death for Ohioans ages 15-64 are in unintentional injuries (including overdose deaths), chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, homicide, suicide and chronic lower respiratory diseases,” the brief states. “The experiences and environments driving these trends can be exacerbated by systemic challenges, including a lack of economic opportunity and experiences of discrimination.” 

The data brief also includes 10 policy options for state and local leaders to improve health, advance equity and ensure that more working-age Ohioans reach their full potential.