Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) Series

The Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) survey is designed to capture data on emergency department episodes that are induced or related to the use of an illicit, prescription, or over-the-counter drug. DAWN provides semiannual estimates of the number of drug-related visits to hospital emergency departments based on a nationally representative sample of short-stay general hospitals located throughout the coterminous United States. Included are patients aged six years and older. Within each facility participating in DAWN, a designated reporter was responsible for identifying drug-related episodes and recording and submitting data on each case. Emergency room estimates are produced for 21 large metropolitan areas and for the nation, while drug-related deaths data are produced for more than 40 metropolitan areas. The dataset contains demographics, recorded visits for 50 specific drugs, drug categories, or combinations of drugs, and the route of administration and form of each drug used. Data collected also includes drug use motive and total drug mentions per episode.

DAWN is sponsored by the Office of Applied Studies at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.