Document Type
Poster Session
Department
Mathematics and Statistics
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Paul Caron
Keywords
opioid use disorder, opioid abuse, opioid use in Maine, COVID, coronavirus, opioid addiction, overdose prevention
Abstract
The rate of drug overdose resulting in death doubled in Maine following the COVID-19 pandemic from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2019 through 2022. The correlation between increased isolation during the pandemic and overdose death rates sheds a concerning light on the insufficient resources for people struggling with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) throughout Maine. The increasing trade and access to fentanyl following the pandemic accounted for the majority of drug-related deaths in Maine in 2021 and 2022. This study examines the need for long-term access to drug treatment in rural and urban Maine, both environments with varying needs. Increasing accessibility to methadone clinics in rural Maine will make it easier for individuals with substance use disorder to receive medical care promptly. Issues of homelessness in urban areas must be addressed, as dehumanizing living conditions are directly linked to opioid abuse. Deregulating buprenorphine and other drugs used to treat opioid dependence will decrease overdose death rates and will destigmatize safe injection practices. This will give users more control over the dose they are injecting and will, in turn, lower the overdose rate.
Included in
Applied Statistics Commons, COVID-19 Commons, Other Public Health Commons, Substance Abuse and Addiction Commons
Opioid Epidemic in Maine: An Analysis of Increasing Overdose-Related Deaths Following the Coronavirus
The rate of drug overdose resulting in death doubled in Maine following the COVID-19 pandemic from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2019 through 2022. The correlation between increased isolation during the pandemic and overdose death rates sheds a concerning light on the insufficient resources for people struggling with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) throughout Maine. The increasing trade and access to fentanyl following the pandemic accounted for the majority of drug-related deaths in Maine in 2021 and 2022. This study examines the need for long-term access to drug treatment in rural and urban Maine, both environments with varying needs. Increasing accessibility to methadone clinics in rural Maine will make it easier for individuals with substance use disorder to receive medical care promptly. Issues of homelessness in urban areas must be addressed, as dehumanizing living conditions are directly linked to opioid abuse. Deregulating buprenorphine and other drugs used to treat opioid dependence will decrease overdose death rates and will destigmatize safe injection practices. This will give users more control over the dose they are injecting and will, in turn, lower the overdose rate.
