Written by Steve B | Updated on Jun 7, 2024
The staggering toll of the nationwide overdose epidemic has become deeply personal for tens of millions of Americans, according to a new survey that underscores how widespread this public health crisis has become across communities.
The survey, conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, found that a stunning 32% of U.S. adults – over 82 million people – report knowing someone who has died from a drug overdose. For nearly 1 in 5 Americans, the overdose victim was a close friend or family member.
These findings from the nationally-representative survey of over 2,300 adults lay bare the immense ripple effect drug overdoses have had on the social fabric of the country. No community has been spared – the overdose bereavement rates cut across political affiliations, economic classes, and all demographic groups.
Perhaps most strikingly, the researchers found that experiencing this type of devastating personal loss significantly increased someone’s likelihood of viewing addiction as a crucial policy priority that needs to be addressed. Over 60% of all respondents already considered addiction an “extremely” or “very” important issue, but those who lost loved ones to overdoses had 37% higher odds of strongly prioritizing addiction policy compared to others.
This suggests that the sheer scale of the overdose crisis, enabled by surges in prescription opioids, heroin, fentanyl and polysubstance use over the past two decades, has galvanized robust popular support for substantive policy changes – a perspective that spans partisan divides.
While overdose deaths declined slightly in 2023 for the first time in five years, over 100,000 Americans still died from preventable overdoses. It remains a horrific crisis without historical precedent, one that has directly impacted families and social circles in every state, city and town.
The survey data reveals that the addiction crisis is no longer an abstract issue for tens of millions of Americans – it has shattered lives and left loved ones grief-stricken, angered, and hungry for reform. While partisan polarization has stymied progress on so many other issues, the overdose epidemic may be a rare example of a problem recognized as urgently important across all communities and political affiliations.
For policymakers, the implications are clear: There is broad-based support and political capital to be harnessed in favor of scaling up proven harm reduction measures and addiction treatment resources. After years of disappointment and setbacks, the sheer immensity of this public health disaster may be catalyzing the national resolve needed to finally turn the tide.
More About / From the Study a Johns Hopkins:
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2024/nearly-one-third-of-us-adults-know-someone-whos-died-of-drug-overdose
Steve B
Steve is a tech lead for digital publishing, security, and tech performance enhancement.
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