COLUMBUS, Ohio – While the opioid crisis has touched Ohioans from all walks of life, some of the risk factors may not be random.
In an attempt to better understand how the opioid epidemic has unfolded across the country, Syracuse University Associate Professor of Sociology Shannon Monnat examined the drug mortality rates of non-Hispanic whites.
She says contrary to common belief, drug mortality rates are higher in urban areas than rural counties. However, there is wide variation.
"It is the case that some rural places in the U.S. have the very highest overdose mortality rates, but some rural places have the very lowest,” says Monnat. “So, it's really kind of a tale of two rural Americas."
Monnat explains higher rates of drug deaths were concentrated either in economically distressed mining communities, or those dependent on service-sector jobs.
"In addition to opioid supply measures, economic distress measures really matter in explaining why some places have higher overdose rates than others,” says Monnat.
Between 2010 and 2016, opioid-related overdose deaths tripled in Ohio.
Monnat says intergenerational poverty, hard manual labor, as well as the loss of manufacturing and mining industries have contributed to higher rates of opioid abuse in some rural communities.
"For a lot of people, those institutions of work and the family have unraveled over the past 30 years, and it's left some people with little meaning in their lives,” says Monnat. “And drugs are one way to escape that emotional pain or a way to escape or the reality of a lack of connection or a purpose in life."
Monnat contends these economic and social factors must be taken into account when considering solutions.
"And intervention efforts have to be specifically targeted to certain regions, labor markets, and populations,” says Monnat. “Otherwise, those efforts are not going to be effective."
She adds that future research into health-related measures and civic engagement could help determine if some communities are at greater risk as well.
Reporting by Ohio News Connection in association with Media in the Public Interest, and funded in part by The George Gund Foundation.
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Kentucky's latest drug overdose fatality report showed a drop in deaths and for the first time, a decline in deaths among Black Kentuckians.
Groups across the Commonwealth have been working to increase access to harm reduction services.
Latosha Perry, executive director of the Louisville-based nonprofit EmpowHer with Open Arms, said her organization provides prevention services to adolescents as well as group and individual therapy for adults who are typically required to be in therapy in order to see their children.
"Some struggling with addiction or just now coming out of incarceration, they don't have the money to cover those expenses," Perry explained. "It typically decreases the rate of them reunifying with their family."
Overdose deaths in the Commonwealth decreased for the third year in a row, with a slightly more than 30% decrease in 2024, compared with the previous year. Still, more than 1,400 Kentuckians died of a drug overdose.
Ashley Smith, founder and executive director of the nonprofit agribusiness Black Soil Kentucky, said her organization has distributed Narcan units and provided training to farmers so they are equipped to act as first responders.
"We have worked to pair education outreach and technical assistance with direct produce distributions across rural and urban communities," Smith pointed out.
Both organizations received grant funding from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky for their harm reduction efforts.
If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, call 833-8KY-HELP (833-859-4357) to get assistance connecting with a treatment center. Information about treatment programs is available at FindHelpNowKy.org, and information about how to obtain naloxone is available at FindNaloxoneNowKy.org.
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As Women's Health Month winds down, public health officials in Minnesota are joining the chorus of professionals warning about the prevalence of alcohol misuse, and the added health risks for women.
Problem drinking among women is on the rise, according to the National Institutes of Health.
When compared to men, women have had larger increases in alcohol-related emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and deaths in the past two decades.
Division of Epidemiology & Community Health at the University of Minnesota Professor Toben Nelson said men still drink more, but agrees it's a pressing issue for women.
He noted the significant health consequences if they develop a problem.
"A real concern for younger women - when alcohol is involved, the risks for interpersonal violence are very significant," said Nelson. "Also, injuries related to falling, that is certainly a concern as one ages."
According to federal health agencies, frequent alcohol consumption is also linked to a greater chance of developing breast cancer.
It's recommended that adult women of legal drinking age limit their alcohol intake to one drink or fewer each day.
The NIH website Rethinking Drinking has information on signs of a problem, and how to manage and respond to these situations.
For broader prevention work, Nelson encouraged bars, restaurants, and policymakers to embrace effective strategies.
"Responsible beverage service training in places that serve alcohol," said Nelson, "and also restrictions on alcohol outlet density."
He was referring to limits on approving the number of liquor stores and similar outlets in a given area.
UnitedHealthcare's Chief Medical Officer for Women's Health Dr. Lisa Saul pointed to how alcohol is marketed toward women these days.
"Terminology," said Saul, "like 'it's wine o'clock,' or 'mommy juice,' - those sorts of things have really normalized the consumption of alcohol in ways that we didn't really see before."
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With less than a week in the legislative session, Nevada lawmakers are considering a bill which would change the state's laws for driving under the influence.
Senate Bill 304 would eliminate the threshold of offenses for driving under the influence prosecutors need to charge someone with vehicular homicide. Current law mandates a person have three prior DUI offenses within a seven-year period before they can be charged with vehicular homicide on a fourth offense that results in death.
According to state data, half of deadly crashes on Nevada roads are caused by drunken drivers.
Sandy Heverly, cofounder and executive director of the nonprofit Stop DUI, said she believes the bill could help save lives.
"Why are we giving these people three chances to kill us?," Heverly asked. "We've reached a point where the penalty for the crime should, and must, outweigh the risks these drunken fools are willing to take."
The bill would not only allow charges on the first deadly DUI offense but the person could face more time behind bars. Some public defenders oppose the legislation, saying state law is already tough enough on people charged with DUI. They want more training for alcohol servers and providers to prevent incidents in the first place. The bill was heard in committee last week.
Alyssa Belle Yabut is the eldest daughter of Nevada State Police Trooper Alberto Felix. Felix and Nevada Highway Patrol Sergeant Michael Abbate were killed by an impaired driver while they assisted another driver in 2023. Yabut said DUIs not only take lives, they shatter families.
"Every holiday, every birthday and every ordinary day, we feel his absence," Yabut explained. "Unjustly, under the current Nevada law, that driver could not be charged with vehicular homicide because he didn't have three prior DUIs."
Yabut said she wants the bill to be a turning point for Nevada. Critics warned the bill could lead to steep financial implications for the state and perhaps significantly increase the state's prison population.
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