Category: DRUGS
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Adair County paper fills several pages in sample-copy edition with stories about the opioid epidemic and its cost
Continuation of Page 1 story shows child with photo of his mother, who died from a fentanyl overdose. —– Most rural newspapers shy away from reporting on the opioid epidemic,...
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3 SW Va. counties among many suing drug makers over opioids; Washington Post takes a look with text, pictures, audio: ‘We was addicted to their pills, but they was addicted to the money’
L-R: Lee, Wise and Russell counties; City of Norton is within Wise (Wikipedia map) —– “Towns and cities across America are fighting back against the drug industry, seeking billions of dollars in...
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Anti-overdose drug naloxone (Narcan) isn’t getting to enough at-risk and rural people, including many counties in Kentucky
Enlargement of Kentucky and neighboring states shows naloxone access; Kentucky counties with the first rank of access are Adair, Anderson, Bell, Boyd, Breathitt, Bullitt, Campbell, Christian, Estill, Fleming, Floyd, Franklin, Grant, Hopkins,...
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Study: Rural dentists show higher awareness of opioid epidemic in their prescribing, and are in good positions to fight it
AARP photo illustration —– While rural and non-rural dentists prescribe about the same number of pain pills, rural dentists do so more often in combination with ibuprofen or acetaminophen and...
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Appalachian Regional Commission, working on substance abuse and the workforce issues, calls for ‘recovery ecosystem’
The Appalachian Regional Commission hosted six listening sessions this year to better understand the challenges around substance abuse and how it relates to the Appalachian workforce, and came up with themes to...
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OD deaths in Ky. dropped nearly 15% in 2018; officials credit many policy initiatives, but say ‘incredible challenges’ remain
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Kentucky saw a nearly 15 percent drop in drug-overdose deaths in 2018, the first decline since 2013, and almost three times the national decline...
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Opioid distribution database shows Ky. was 2nd for most legal pain pills per person between 2006-12; county-level data available
Washington Post map; click here to view the interactive version. —– Between 2006 and 2012, drug companies distributed 76 billion doses of prescription pain medicine, “enough pills to supply every adult and...
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900 participants in study aimed at eliminating hepatitis C in Perry County will get their meds through a device that tracks adherence
Participants in a University of Kentucky study aimed at eliminating the liver disease hepatitis C in one county will get their medicine in a device that tracks how closely they follow their...
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Ky. has 59 operating syringe exchanges and six in the wait; state drug-policy director credits public-health advocates for increase
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Kentucky is lauded nationwide for its embrace of syringe exchanges to thwart the spread of HIV and hepatitis C among intravenous drug users, but...
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Kentucky opens first sober-living unit in a medium-security prison anywhere, with plans to open others across the state
SOAR’s logo was designed and painted by one of the program participants. (Photo by Melissa Patrick, Kentucky Health News) —– By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News BURGIN, Ky. – Kentucky again...