Populations Most at Risk

In the 1990s, mortality related to opioid use emerged as a growing problem in many communities throughout the United States. Initial investigation into the geographical boundary of opioid use demonstrated that higher rates of opioid use and overdose are greatest in rural areas mostly concentrated in the American Midwest and Appalachian States. Further research would prove this initial theory wrong, as geographical analysis suggest that multiple areas in the crisis are greatly affected as they are co-occurring and distinct within themselves. It is shown that within economically-disadvantaged communities with greater concentrations of blue-collar workers instances of prescription opioid misuse and overdose were far more frequent. While, on the other hand, in vastly urban communities, rates illegal narcotic use within populations of both professional workers and the economically disadvantaged are greater.

The nature of risk amongst these two populations is both complex and profound. The need for prescription medication among blue-collar workers stems from the labor intensive context of these occupations. Work-related injury and physical fatigue increase the demand for treatments and medication for pain management. In communities with professional workers and those who have secure employment, psychological issues have manifested, causing higher instances of drug use and misuse. Rates of psychosocial despair, population decline, and family issues also play a role in opioid misuse amongst white-collar workers. The culmination of these issues correlates with the higher overdoses, in addition to misuse of both prescription and synthetic opioids. Ultimately, it is suggested that policy intervention and drug policy strategies be used to both educate and contain the drug-related overdoses and mortality.