A significant 37% reduction in overdose deaths from opioids mixed with stimulants, notably fentanyl and methamphetamine, highlights the positive impact of expanded treatment options, increased naloxone distribution and targeted education campaigns, according to a new federally funded study.
A comprehensive new study has revealed a promising 37% reduction in overdose deaths involving opioids combined with stimulant drugs, such as methamphetamine and fentanyl. This significant finding is attributed to expanded treatment options, a rise in naloxone distribution and targeted education campaigns as part of the large, federally funded HEALing Communities Study (HCS).
The research, published in JAMA Network Open, evaluated community-level interventions in Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York and Ohio. These interventions included data-driven adoption of evidence-based practices aimed at reducing overdose deaths.
Death rates in communities that received the intervention fell to 8.9 per 100,000 adults, compared to 14.1 per 100,000 adults in communities without the intervention.
Lead author Bridget Freisthler, a professor at The Ohio State University, highlighted the study’s importance given the rapid emergence of fentanyl in the illicit drug market combined with other substances.
“Now we have a whole new group of people developing addiction to opioids,” Freisthler said in a news release. “It was nice to see that we were able to achieve reductions in overdose deaths involving this combination of opioids, primarily fentanyl and psychostimulants, not including cocaine, because that’s the most recent wave in the epidemic that we’re seeing.”
The HEALing Communities Study, launched by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2019, saw participating coalitions implement 615 strategies tailored to their communities. Actions ranged from overdose education and naloxone distribution to promoting medication for opioid use disorder and safe opioid prescribing practices.
Despite these successes, the study did note that rates of deaths from combinations of opioids with cocaine and benzodiazepines saw reductions (6% and 1%, respectively), but these were not statistically significant. The main intervention from HCS had previously not shown a statistically significant reduction in opioid overdose death rates overall.
Overall, the findings suggest a critical need for targeted communication strategies to address the rising prevalence of fentanyl-laced drugs. Freisthler also emphasized the potential for naloxone to save lives among those using multiple substances.
Deanna Vietze, executive director of the Brown County Board of Mental Health and Addiction Services in Ohio, praised the study’s various benefits.
“The HCS was beneficial to Brown County in numerous ways,” said Vietze in the news release. “It affirmed the work already underway, allowed for expansion of best practices, helped engage new partners, strengthened existing partnerships and allowed innovative purchases that forged outreach opportunities that will continue to positively impact Brown County citizens for years to come.”
The efforts in Ohio were part of a larger NIH initiative aimed at enhancing national strategies against drug overdoses. With the support of a $65.9 million NIH award, Ohio State led the state portion of the study, facilitated by the university’s College of Medicine.
Freisthler concluded with a note on the overarching impact and future needs.
“The drug overdose crisis is pervasive in our communities, and we’ve got multigenerational and intergenerational trauma affecting families. That’s not going to change overnight,” she added. “That means we need to continue to improve understanding of this crisis and reduce overdose deaths so we don’t have another generation experiencing the same sort of trauma.”
The findings from this study aim to provide communities with the resources and strategies required to combat the ongoing drug crisis effectively. With continued research and community-driven efforts, there is hope for reducing the devastating impact of drug overdoses nationwide.