Many counties lack providers for opioid disorder medication

COUNTIES IN RED ARE HIGH RISK, WHICH MEANS FEW PROVIDERS AND HIGH RATES OF OPIOID OVERDOSE DEATHS. (REBECCA L. HAFFAJEE, JD, PHD, MPH; LEWEI ALLISON LIN, MD, MS; AMY S. B. BOHNERT, PHD, MHS; JASON E. GOLDSTICK, PHD)

Researchers behind a new study set out to find what characteristics defined U.S. counties with high opioid overdose death rates. They looked at more than 3,100 counties and how they compared to the national average for overdoses — 12.5 people who overdose per 100,000 people. Here’s what they found: 

• High-risk counties: 412 counties exceeded the national average of overdoses and had few health care providers for opioid disorder medication — under the national average of about 10 per 100,000 residents. 
• Health care providers: Nearly half the counties lacked a publicly available provider who could prescribe the medication. More than 70% of rural counties lacked such a provider. 
• Other characteristics: Counties that had high rates of unemployment and fewer people under the age of 25 were also more likely to be considered high risk for opioid overdoses.