The opioid crisis in black and white: the role of race in our nation’s recent drug epidemic

Om, Anjali

doi:10.1093/pubmed/fdy103

Cited by 36 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…Akin to the heroin and Crack epidemics, which led to epic surges of addiction in urban and minority communities in the decades spanning from the 1970s to the 1990s and also created devastating effects to public health and safety, the opioid epidemic has been now touted as a National public health crisis. While the opioid crisis in rural and suburban White communities has been addressed with appeals from Government stakeholders for the implementation of new policies, creation of preventative measures and an increase in the number and types of rehabilitative treatment options available to assist addicted users, many argue that the U.S. Government’s past response was significantly more punitive and depicted as a “War on Drugs” with less compassion and treatment options for addicted users in urban communities (Om, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the impact of the opioid epidemic in Black and Hispanic communities in the United States

Drake

Charles

Bourgeois

et al. 2020

Drug Science, Policy and Law

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Context: In recent years, due to an alarming increase in the number of opioid-related overdose fatalities for White, Non-Hispanics in rural and suburban communities across the United States, they have been considered as the face of this epidemic. However, there has also been a staggering rise in the number of opioid overdoses in urban, minority communities, which have not been thoroughly addressed by the literature. Methods We reviewed deaths where opioid-related substances were reported as the leading cause of death to the Centers of Disease Control Multiple Cause of Death database from 1999 to 2017. Deaths were analyzed by year, State, drug type, and race and ethnicity. Results There were 399,230 total opioid-related deaths from 1999 to 2017 amongst all ethnic groups in the U.S. During this timeframe, approximately 323,939 total deaths were attributed to White, Non-Hispanics, while 75,291 were attributed to all other ethnicities. Examination of opioid-related overdose death data by ethnicity reveals that while White, Non-Hispanics have experienced the largest numbers of opioid-related overdose deaths in the U.S with up to 37,113 deaths occurring during 2017, there has also been a sharp rise in the number of opioid-related overdose deaths for minorities. opioid-related overdose deaths for Black, Non-Hispanics climbed from 1130 deaths in 1999 to 5513 deaths in 2017, while opioid-related overdose deaths for Hispanics climbed from 1058 in 1999 to 3932 in 2017. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over the past 19 years, age-adjusted opioid-related deaths for Hispanics have climbed from 3.5 overdoses per 100,000 in 1999 to 6.8 overdoses per 100,000 in 2017. However, greater increases have been reported for Blacks during the same 19-year timeframe with age-adjusted rates of 3.5 overdoses per population of 100,000 in 1999 to 12.9 overdoses per population of 100,000 in 2017. Conclusion While Opioid-related overdoses have overwhelmingly plagued rural and suburban White, Non-Hispanic communities, there has been a surge in the number of deaths in Black and Hispanic Minority communities in recent years. Although there have been significant increases in the number of opioid-related overdose deaths in Black and Hispanic communities, the media narrative for this epidemic is often portrayed as a White, Non-Hispanic rural and suburban crisis. As a result, intervention strategies and policies have failed, both, to assess the severity of the problem in minority communities and to offer culturally sensitive preventative and treatment solutions. In this paper, the impact of the opioid epidemic on Black and Hispanic minority communities will be presented. Racial disparities in the U.S. Government’s current approach to an epidemic, which plagues rural and suburban White America, will be compared to its past criminal justice response to drug pandemics in urban minority communities. Culturally sensitive policy considerations and recommendations that can be used to, both, mitigate and offer treatment options for the opioid epidemic in these minority communities will also be addressed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the impact of the opioid epidemic in Black and Hispanic communities in the United States

Drake

Charles

Bourgeois

et al. 2020

Drug Science, Policy and Law

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“…Frequently, these communities include significant numbers of grandfamilies. For instance, the opioid epidemic has predominately impacted white communities (Cicero et al 2014 ; Om 2018 ). Nonetheless, the media attention and governmental prioritization of funding for research and treatment, and their overall stance of compassion, stands in contrast to the mass incarceration and criminalization of the crack cocaine epidemic, which predominately impacted the Black community (Om 2018 ).…”

Section: A Systemic Perspective On the Opioid Epidemicmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, the opioid epidemic has predominately impacted white communities (Cicero et al 2014 ; Om 2018 ). Nonetheless, the media attention and governmental prioritization of funding for research and treatment, and their overall stance of compassion, stands in contrast to the mass incarceration and criminalization of the crack cocaine epidemic, which predominately impacted the Black community (Om 2018 ). Similarly, the opioid epidemic has ravaged rural communities, particularly those found in Appalachia (Moody et al 2017 ; Rigg et al 2018 ).…”

Section: A Systemic Perspective On the Opioid Epidemicmentioning

confidence: 99%

Grandfamilies and the Opioid Epidemic: A Systemic Perspective and Future Priorities

Dolbin‐MacNab

O'Connell

2021

Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev

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As a result of the devastating impact of the opioid epidemic, increased numbers of children are being raised by their grandparents in what are known as grandfamilies. Despite these children and their families experiencing difficult environmental circumstances, numerous adverse life events, and challenging family dynamics, empirical examinations of the opioid epidemic, as it relates to grandfamilies, remain limited. The purpose of this review is to advance the understanding of how grandfamilies have been impacted by the opioid epidemic by using a systemic perspective to highlight themes and major conclusions within the existing conceptual and empirical literature. The review reveals five systemically informed themes including the assumption of caregiving responsibilities, grandparent stress and well-being, caring for vulnerable grandchildren, navigating relationships with parents, and contextual stressors of societal stigma and barriers to service. To extend this work, systemically informed recommendations for clinical intervention and future priorities for research and policy are discussed.

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“…Marsh et al (2017) argued that increased law enforcement and media attention to methamphetamine led to users being regarded as “diseased, zombie-like White trash” (p. 52). Yet, abuse of prescription pain relievers, which has affected a broader cross-section of White America, has resulted in more compassionate responses from the media and the criminal justice system (Netherland & Hansen, 2016; Om, 2018). Indeed, Sobotka and Stewart (2020) characterized opioid abuse as a “White problem,” with individuals suffering from “addictions” in need of medical treatment.…”

Section: Review Of Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Bleeding Borders and Enemies Within: How Newsmagazine Covers Portrayed Drugs of Abuse, 1979–2019

Denham

Cacciatore

Caves

2021

Contemporary Drug Problems

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This study examined how the covers of three newsmagazines, Time, Newsweek, and U.S. News & World Report, portrayed drugs of abuse between 1979 and 2019. Findings showed consistency with extant research suggesting that a rigid focus on supply has resulted in a vilification of Latino traffickers from Central and South America. We also saw differences in how newsmagazines portrayed powder cocaine and crack cocaine and observed patterns of “White washing” opioid abuse. Implications and recommendations for future research are provided.

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The opioid crisis in black and white: the role of race in our nation’s recent drug epidemic

Cited by 36 publications

References 5 publications

Exploring the impact of the opioid epidemic in Black and Hispanic communities in the United States

Exploring the impact of the opioid epidemic in Black and Hispanic communities in the United States

Grandfamilies and the Opioid Epidemic: A Systemic Perspective and Future Priorities

Bleeding Borders and Enemies Within: How Newsmagazine Covers Portrayed Drugs of Abuse, 1979–2019

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