FATAL DROWNING IN OLDER ADULTS WITH ALCOHOL, OPIOIDS, CANNABINOIDS, AND OTHER DRUG EXPOSURES

Q: What question does the study address?

It reports the characteristics of older adults who drowned with substance exposure and assesses drowning-related mortality (DRM) patterns.

Q: How were outcomes and exposure data determined?

Outcomes (drowning) came from autopsy and toxicology results, using de-identified Florida Department of Law Enforcement data from 2020–2022.

Q: Which substances were associated with higher or lower odds of drowning among older adults?

Alcohol showed higher odds of drowning (OR=3.26), while opioids (OR=0.19) and benzodiazepine (OR=0.70) were also significantly related; cannabinoids (OR=0.85) and stimulants (OR=0.73) had significant associations as reported.

Sep 29, 2026

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More than 4,500 people die annually from drowning in the U.S., and drowning among adults aged 65+ rose by 19% in 2022 versus 2019. Research on drowning-related mortality (DRM) in older adults exposed to alcohol, opioids, cannabis, and other drugs remains limited. Using de-identified Florida Department of Law Enforcement data (2020–2022), descriptive statistics and regression in Stata 17 examined 46,437 decedents, identifying DRM in older adults.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background and Objective

Methods and Data

Findings and Implications

242 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 Abstract citation ID: igaf122.812 FATAL DROWNING IN OLDER ADULTS WITH ALCOHOL, OPIOIDS, CANNABINOIDS, AND OTHER DRUG EXPOSURES Armiel Suriaga1, Jessica Mangila2, Hien Do1, Lindsey Gensoli1, Grace Abrams1, Karina Del Carpio1, Alondra Gittleson1, and Gianna Nemia1, 1. Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, United States, 2. Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States More than 4,500 people die annually from drowning in the U.S., with a 19% increase among 65+ in 2022 compared to 2019. However, research on drowning-related mortality (DRM) among older adults exposed to alcohol, opioids, cannabis, and other substances is scarce. We aimed to report the characteristics of older adults who drowned with substances, using de-identified data from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (2020-2022). We used descriptive statistics and regression modeling in Stata 17. The medical examiners ascertained the outcome (drowning) through Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 243 autopsy and toxicology results. The analysis included 46,437 decedents with substances, 1,162 (2.5%) decedents with DRM, and 265 (4.64%) were older adults. 187 (70.57%) of the 265 were males, white= 228 (86 .04%), Black=28 (10 .57%), and 252 (95.1%) occurred in urban counties. 177 (66.79%) used a single drug and 88 (33.21%) with polydrug exposures. 70 (26.42%) had cardiac-related conditions, 16 (6.04%) with respiratory, and 15 (5.66%) had neurocognitive-related conditions. Older adults have lower odds of drowning than the reference group (0-17), OR=.68, 95% CI, .48-.95, p = 0.03. Those with alcohol had 3.26 higher odds of drowning compared to those without alcohol, OR =3.26, 95% CI, 2.88-3.70, p <0.001; opioids, OR=.19, 95% CI, .16-.22, p <0.001; cannabinoids, OR=.85, 95% CI, .73-.99, p =0.04; benzodiazepine, OR=.70, 95% CI, .59-.81, p <0.001, and stimulant, OR=.73, 95% CI, .61-.87, p < 0.001. Polydrug exposures were significantly associated, OR=.42, 95% CI, .38-48, p <0.001. Our results suggest that using multiple substances such as alcohol, opioids, and cannabis increases the odds of DRM, underscoring the need for tailored interventions to safeguard older adults.

FAQs

What question does the study address?

It reports the characteristics of older adults who drowned with substance exposure and assesses drowning-related mortality (DRM) patterns.

How were outcomes and exposure data determined?

Outcomes (drowning) came from autopsy and toxicology results, using de-identified Florida Department of Law Enforcement data from 2020–2022.

Which substances were associated with higher or lower odds of drowning among older adults?

Alcohol showed higher odds of drowning (OR=3.26), while opioids (OR=0.19) and benzodiazepine (OR=0.70) were also significantly related; cannabinoids (OR=0.85) and stimulants (OR=0.73) had significant associations as reported.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by Logic