A new analysis of Minnesota death records reveals stark racial disparities in opioid overdose deaths, with Native Americans facing the highest risk. From 2019 to 2023, Native Americans were at least 15 times more likely to die from opioid overdoses than white people in Minnesota.
The investigation by Sahan Journal found that Somali Minnesotans were at least twice as likely to die from opioid overdose than whites, while Latino Minnesotans were 1.5 times more likely. These racial gaps have widened even as overall opioid deaths may have plateaued in 2023.
Dr. Kumi Smith, an epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota, noted that Minnesota has the worst Native American-to-white disparity in fatal overdoses nationwide. Experts attribute the disparities to social inequities, mistrust of the medical system, and lack of access to culturally appropriate addiction treatment.
The analysis also uncovered potential undercounting of opioid deaths in communities of color. Dr. Antony Stately of the Native American Community Clinic emphasized that each death has an outsized impact in tight-knit communities: “To lose five people in a smaller community is the equivalent sometimes of dropping an atomic bomb on that community.”
Community leaders are calling for more detailed racial data collection and culturally specific treatment programs. Dr. Dziwe Ntaba, a Twin Cities physician, stressed that addressing overdose inequities requires understanding societal stigma and treating addiction as a disease.
While Minnesota has directed opioid settlement funds toward interventions for communities of color, experts say more targeted outreach and culturally responsive care are needed to close the persistent racial gaps in opioid deaths.
See “Overlooked: Who suffers the most from the opioid epidemic in Minnesota?” (July 7, 2024)
