What does this measure?
The number of people from a geographic area (county, city or town) admitted to alcohol/substance abuse treatment centers anywhere in the state, expressed as a rate per 10,000 residents.
Why is this important?
Drinking and drug use increases an individual's risk of poor health outcomes, including motor vehicle crashes and unintentional injuries, and is often a contributing factor in child abuse, domestic violence, suicide and homicide. The availability of treatment can be a critical factor in helping people recover from addiction.
How is our county performing?
Worcester County had 131 admissions to treatment per 10,000 residents in 2022, down 32% from a high of 194 admissions per 10,000 residents in 2018, similar to the statewide decline of 30% in the same time period.
Heroin and other opioids were the most common primary drug of use for admissions among Worcester County residents in 2022, making up 42% of all admissions. Alcohol was the next most common primary drug, making up 38% of admissions. This is similar to the state where heroin and opioids represent 42% and alcohol 36% of admissions.
Heroin admissions were the fastest growing category in Worcester County until 2018 when the rate peaked at 89 per 10,000 residents; this has declined 44% to a rate of 50 per 10,000 in 2022.
Notes about the data
The state does not disclose admissions data for cities/towns for confidentiality reasons. National data were not available.
Alcohol | Crack/Cocaine | Heroin | Marijuana | Other | Other Opioids | Other Sedatives/Hypnotics | Other Stimulants | Total | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Worcester County | 50 | 4 | 50 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 131 | ||||||||||
Athol | 76 | 6 | 118 | 14 | 21 | 238 | |||||||||||||
Clinton | 35 | 4 | 75 | 8 | 7 | 123 | |||||||||||||
Fitchburg | 57 | 12 | 117 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 208 | ||||||||||||
Gardner | 62 | 11 | 89 | 12 | 18 | 3 | 193 | ||||||||||||
Northbridge | 44 | 4 | 66 | 4 | 5 | 120 | |||||||||||||
Southbridge | 46 | 12 | 91 | 17 | 8 | 4 | 162 | ||||||||||||
Spencer | 54 | 8 | 73 | 9 | 7 | 150 | |||||||||||||
Webster | 43 | 6 | 124 | 10 | 20 | 5 | 206 | ||||||||||||
Westborough | 21 | 3 | 34 | 5 | 8 | 60 | |||||||||||||
Worcester | 61 | 13 | 192 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 287 | ||||||||||
Massachusetts | 45 | 9 | 47 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 125 | ||||||||||
Additional Worcester County localities |
Notes: Rates are per 10,000 residents. Data was not disclosed for all substances and geographies.
Alcohol | Crack/Cocaine | Heroin | Marijuana | Other | Other Opioids | Other Sedatives/Hypnotics | Other Stimulants | Total | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Worcester County | 4,299 | 339 | 4,299 | 339 | 113 | 453 | 113 | 0 | 11,313 | ||||||||||
Athol | 89 | 7 | 138 | 16 | 25 | 279 | |||||||||||||
Clinton | 49 | 6 | 104 | 11 | 10 | 171 | |||||||||||||
Fitchburg | 234 | 49 | 479 | 40 | 38 | 8 | 849 | ||||||||||||
Gardner | 127 | 22 | 184 | 25 | 38 | 6 | 398 | ||||||||||||
Northbridge | 74 | 7 | 109 | 6 | 9 | 200 | |||||||||||||
Southbridge | 77 | 20 | 154 | 29 | 14 | 6 | 274 | ||||||||||||
Spencer | 64 | 10 | 87 | 11 | 8 | 179 | |||||||||||||
Webster | 74 | 11 | 211 | 17 | 34 | 8 | 350 | ||||||||||||
Westborough | 40 | 6 | 65 | 10 | 15 | 115 | |||||||||||||
Worcester | 1,134 | 240 | 3,558 | 107 | 11 | 208 | 53 | 16 | 5,326 | ||||||||||
Massachusetts | 31,306 | 6,087 | 33,045 | 2,609 | 879 | 3,478 | 870 | 870 | 86,960 | ||||||||||
Additional Worcester County localities |
Notes: Data was not disclosed for all substances and geographies.
Alcohol | Crack/Cocaine | Heroin | Marijuana | Other | Other Opioids | Other Sedatives/Hypnotics | Other Stimulants | Total | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Worcester County | 50 | 4 | 50 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 131 | ||||||||||
Athol | 76 | 6 | 118 | 14 | 21 | 238 | |||||||||||||
Clinton | 35 | 4 | 75 | 8 | 7 | 123 | |||||||||||||
Fitchburg | 57 | 12 | 117 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 208 | ||||||||||||
Gardner | 62 | 11 | 89 | 12 | 18 | 3 | 193 | ||||||||||||
Northbridge | 44 | 4 | 66 | 4 | 5 | 120 | |||||||||||||
Southbridge | 46 | 12 | 91 | 17 | 8 | 4 | 162 | ||||||||||||
Spencer | 54 | 8 | 73 | 9 | 7 | 150 | |||||||||||||
Webster | 43 | 6 | 124 | 10 | 20 | 5 | 206 | ||||||||||||
Westborough | 21 | 3 | 34 | 5 | 8 | 60 | |||||||||||||
Worcester | 61 | 13 | 192 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 287 | ||||||||||
Massachusetts | 45 | 9 | 47 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 125 | ||||||||||
Additional Worcester County localities |
Notes: Rates are per 10,000 residents. Data was not disclosed for all substances and geographies.
Alcohol | Crack/Cocaine | Heroin | Marijuana | Other | Other Opioids | Other Sedatives/Hypnotics | Other Stimulants | Total | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Worcester County | 4,299 | 339 | 4,299 | 339 | 113 | 453 | 113 | 0 | 11,313 | ||||||||||
Athol | 89 | 7 | 138 | 16 | 25 | 279 | |||||||||||||
Clinton | 49 | 6 | 104 | 11 | 10 | 171 | |||||||||||||
Fitchburg | 234 | 49 | 479 | 40 | 38 | 8 | 849 | ||||||||||||
Gardner | 127 | 22 | 184 | 25 | 38 | 6 | 398 | ||||||||||||
Northbridge | 74 | 7 | 109 | 6 | 9 | 200 | |||||||||||||
Southbridge | 77 | 20 | 154 | 29 | 14 | 6 | 274 | ||||||||||||
Spencer | 64 | 10 | 87 | 11 | 8 | 179 | |||||||||||||
Webster | 74 | 11 | 211 | 17 | 34 | 8 | 350 | ||||||||||||
Westborough | 40 | 6 | 65 | 10 | 15 | 115 | |||||||||||||
Worcester | 1,134 | 240 | 3,558 | 107 | 11 | 208 | 53 | 16 | 5,326 | ||||||||||
Massachusetts | 31,306 | 6,087 | 33,045 | 2,609 | 879 | 3,478 | 870 | 870 | 86,960 | ||||||||||
Additional Worcester County localities |
Notes: Data was not disclosed for all substances and geographies.
INDICATORS | TREND |
---|---|
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity |
1
Increasing
|
Preterm Births | 10 Not Applicable* |
Infant Mortality by Mother's Race/Ethnicity | 10 Not Applicable* |
Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels |
-1
Decreasing
|
Prevalence of Children with Asthma |
1
Increasing
|
People with Disabilities |
1
Increasing
|
People Without Health Insurance |
-1
Decreasing
|
Cancer Incidence |
0
Maintaining
|
Diabetes Incidence |
-1
Decreasing
|
Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions |
-1
Decreasing
|
Opioid Overdose Mortality Rate |
1
Increasing
|