WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:46 — 8.0MB)
A recent study from researchers at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IUPUI indicates the opioid epidemic may be even larger than we thought. The study, published recently in the Journal of Urban Health, looked at opioid-related overdose deaths in Marion County from 2010 to 2015. The study showed decreases in deaths due to prescription opiates, but increases in deaths from illegal opiates, such as heroin and fentanyl. Complicating the scenario is the fact that heroin is often cut with or used alongside other substances. Toxicology tests aren’t always ordered in these deaths and when they are, officials aren’t looking for other heroin-related substances. Professor Bradley Ray studies substance abuse and was on the team that conducted the study. Ray says the number of deaths in which heroin is present is actually much higher than the number of deaths reported. Reporter Sarah Vaughan spoke with Professor Ray to learn more.
