Strategies to Combat Opioid Use in Rural Communities
Date:
Duration: approximately
minutes
The opioid epidemic is an ongoing problem in rural areas. Rural youth, young adults, women experiencing domestic violence, and people living in states with large rural populations suffer from higher rates of opioid use than their urban counterparts. Opioid overdose deaths are growing faster in rural counties than urban counties. This presentation by John Gale, MS, of the University of Southern Maine focused on a wide range of strategies that communities can use to combat the opioid problem. In particular, it discussed cost-effective, evidence-based prevention, treatment, and recovery programs that have been successfully implemented in rural communities. It concluded by describing community organizing strategies to engage a wide range of local stakeholders to reduce the burden of opioid use.