March 18, 2024 |
Photo – Wyoming State Flag – Courtesy WY Dept. of Health
The Wyoming Department of Health on Friday released the Death, Birth, Marriage and Divorce Totals for Wyoming in 2023.
Deaths from drug overdoses increased for the sixth year in a row.
In 2023, overdose deaths totaled 120 up ten from 110 in 2022. Previous counts showed 98 in 2021, 90 in 2020, 81 in 2019, 65 in 2018, 60 in 2017, 94 in 2016, 95 in 2015 and 107 in 2014.
Illicit drug use was linked to 70% of the overdoses last year. Of those, fentanyl was responsible for 52 deaths, and methamphetamine was linked to 48.
Prescription and illicit opioids accounted for 81% of all the overdoses.
Stefan Johansson, WDH director, acknowledged the state’s ongoing concern about suicide deaths.
In 2023, 157 suicide deaths were recorded in 2023 up two from to 155 in 2022.
The suicide trend in Wyoming is up from 190 in 2021, 182 in 2020, 170 in 2019, 148 in 2018, 156 in 2017, 143 in 2016, 155 in 2015 and 120 in 2014.
About 85 percent of Wyoming’s suicide deaths were among males. In addition, 72 percent of 2023 suicide deaths involved firearms, 22 percent involved hanging and 4 percent involved poisoning.
Meanwhile, the latest data shows fewer deaths and births overall in Wyoming last year compared to 2022.
According to the report, 5,566 deaths recorded in 2023, 5,895 deaths in 2022, 6,574 deaths in 2021, 5,986 deaths in 2020 and 5,122 deaths in 2019, according to official death certificate information.
The top five causes of death last year, listed in order, were heart diseases, cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and related conditions, various types of accidents and adverse effects, and cerebrovascular diseases—a dysfunction of the blood vessels supplying the brain.
Official birth certificate data show 5,989 births recorded among Wyoming resident mothers in 2023, down slightly from the 6,050 births in 2022, 6,238 births in 2021, 6,132 births in 2020 and 6,568 births in 2019.
There were fewer marriages last year compared to the previous year, but slightly more divorces.
There were 4,061 marriages recorded in Wyoming last year while 1,955 divorces were finalized.
