The Opioid Crisis: A Problem That Defies Solution?

Abstract

Mortality resulting from drug abuse (or overdose) has tremendously increased over the past decades. Drug abuse (or overdose) has become a critical public health concerns or issue in the United States of America due to its related alarming rate of death. Death rates from opioid overdose have surged in the past years and the opioid crisis is worsening at an alarming rate. There seems to be no quick fix to the opioid problem therefore it is essential to approach the problem in a comprehensive manner that includes overdose prevention. Accordingly, early intervention in childhood experiences can mean the difference between a healthy adult life and substance use. This article reviews current literature to investigate the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and drug overdose. ACEs have a dose-dependent effect on health outcomes hence, direct impacts on childhood intervention can pay large dividends to the society and health in the future. Therefore, the study recommends that developing new partnerships and working across sectors including public health, government, healthcare services, social services, education, housing, non-governmental organizations, media can help prevent early adversity and in turn, addiction in later life.

Keywords: Opioid crisis, Drug abuse, Drug overdose, Adverse childhood experiences

DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/9-8-08

Publication date: August 31^st 2019