Addressing the Opioid Crisis Means Confronting Socioeconomic Disparities

This National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) article, authored by NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow, states that while the opioid crisis is a problem that can affect people from all walks of life, it has particularly impacted some of the poorest regions in the country where stress and other environmental and social factors may leave some individuals more vulnerable. Psychological factors such as increases in economic challenges and stress can play a role in addiction. Reasons may also include level of access to and the quality of health care received by people in economically disadvantaged areas. The article suggests that reversing the current opioid crisis and preventing future ones require not just addressing this issue from the supply-side, but will also entail addressing such issues as economic disparities, housing instability, poor education quality, and lack of access to quality health care--all areas that plague disadvantaged individuals, families, and communities.