Poll: Heroin remains big problem in Ohio

VW independent/submitted information

Although there have been some positive signs recently, including Van Wert County’s new Drug Court program, the effects of heroin use is still a critical issue both here and across Ohio. That’s also the message from the latest Ohio Health Issues Poll.

Unintentional drug overdose became the leading cause of injury death in Ohio in 2007 and has continued to climb since then. The Ohio Health Issues Poll (OHIP) asked adults if friends or family members had experienced problems as a result of abusing prescription pain relievers.

In 2015, 3 in 10 Ohio adults (29 percent) said yes. This has grown significantly since 2014, when only 2 in10 Ohio adults (18 percent) said yes. OHIP is sponsored by Interact for Health.

“The issue of unintentional drug overdoses remains one of major concern in our state,” says Kelly Firesheets, senior program officer, Preventing Opioid Misuse and Safety Net, Interact for Health. “Nearly 2,500 Ohioans died from an unintentional drug overdose in 2014, nearly four times as many as 2003, when only 650 adults died from an overdose. In 2014, more than 80 percent of these drug overdose deaths were from opioid use — either the misuse of prescribed opioids or the use of heroin.”

OHIP also asked Ohio adults if they had any family members or friends who had experienced problems as a result of using heroin. In 2015, more than 2 in 10 Ohio adults (22 percent) said yes. Only 14 percent of adults said yes in 2014.

OHIP asked adults who knew someone who had problems due to these drugs if they had any friends or family members who had overdosed. Four in 10 of these Ohio adults (40 percent) knew someone who had overdosed due to a pain drug. For heroin, that percentage was nearly 6 in 10 (56 percent).

Reported problems with these drugs varied little by sex, race or region. The percentage of adults who knew someone who had problems with prescription drugs rose in all regions since 2014. It also rose in all age groups except younger adults. The percentage of adults who knew someone who had problems with heroin rose the most among adults ages 46 to 64 or older than 65.

Reported problems with these drugs did vary by education. Misuse of pain drugs and heroin use were both reported most frequently by adults with less than a high school education. However, the percentage of college graduates reporting both also rose dramatically since 2014.

More information about Ohioans’ prescription drug misuse and heroin use, and other topics, is available online at www.interactforhealth.org/ohio-health-issues-poll.

About the Ohio Health Issues Poll

The 2015 Ohio Health Issues Poll (OHIP) is funded by Interact for Health. OHIP was conducted July 15-28, 2015, by the Institute for Policy Research at the University of Cincinnati. A random sample of 811 adults from throughout Ohio was interviewed by telephone. This included 448 landline telephone and 363 cell phone interviews. In 95 of 100 cases, the statewide estimates will be accurate to ±3.4%. There are other sources of variation inherent in public opinion studies, such as non-response, question wording or context effects that can introduce error or bias. For more information about the Ohio Health Issues Poll, visit www.interactforhealth.org/ohio-health-issues-poll.

About Interact for Health

Interact for Health is building healthy communities for all people. We serve as a catalyst for health and wellness by promoting healthy living through grants, education, research, policy and engagement. Interact for Health is an independent foundation that serves 20 counties in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. More information is available on our website, www.interactforhealth.org.