Characteristics and Circumstances of US Overdose Deaths Identified as Heat-Related

ObjectivesTo examine the extent to which heat-related causes of death are recorded in fatal drug overdoses, how these patterns vary across states and over time, and how overdose characteristics differ between deaths with, versus without, heat involvement recorded. MethodsDeath certificate data for all drug overdose deaths in US residents from 2001 to 2024 (from the National Center for Health Statistics) were analyzed to identify whether a heat-related cause of death was also listed on the death certificate. Joinpoint regression, descriptive statistics, and nonparametric tests were used to examine temporal trends and compare overdose deaths with versus without recorded heat involvement. Resul