Category: DRUGS
-
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,...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
Registration open for free, day-long forum Sept. 23 on public-health policy considerations regarding medical marjuana
Photo from MedicalMarijuana.com —– Registration is now open for a statewide forum on medical marijuana to be held September 23 in Lexington. The forum is not intended to change minds...
-
Ky. Hospital Assn. gets grant for emergency-room software that tracks patient histories from other sites; could thwart ‘ER hopping’
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News The Kentucky Hospital Association has been awarded a $250,000 grant to equip Kentucky’s emergency departments with software designed to help physicians have access to patient information...