By Jennifer Cohron of the Daily Mountain Eagle
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The Daily Mountain Eagle is a daily newspaper servicing the Jasper, Alabama area. The paper is owned by Walls Newspapers and operated locally. It is one of only two corporation papers that provides information to the locals in the immediate area
Covid’s Role in Opioid Overdose Rates
COVID-19 has reversed a brief bright spot in reduced overdose deaths during the national opioid epidemic.
“The COVID pandemic has triggered a sharp increase in our overdose deaths … Unfortunately, we’re probably not going to know the true degree of this virus for several more months,” Sherie Schaffer, director of clinical operations for Bradford Health Services, said during the recent “Journey Series,” a free weekly webinar on addiction and recovery.
Between February 2018 and February 2019, the nation experienced a 2.9 percent decline in the number of drug overdose deaths compared to the prior year. This marks the first such decline in several decades, according to preliminary estimates from the National Center for Health Statistics.
Sadly, this is not the case for 2020. Suspected overdose deaths were up 16 percent from January to April versus the same period last year. The fatal overdose rate increased 11.4 percent and non-fatal overdoses were up 18.6 percent. All figures are from an Office of National Drug Control Policy report.
In May, the trend continued with overdose cases up 8 percent in the first six days of the month.
In Alabama, there has been a 50 percent increase in alcohol use during the pandemic. This is paired with an increase in emergency room visits and opioid overdose deaths. Stress and an inability to cope while in isolation seem to be causing the increase.
A Solution to the Problem
“We had reduced support groups, which are vital for some people’s recoveries. AA meetings, NA meetings stopped in-person meetings. Some of them went virtual but some of them just stopped altogether,” Schaffer said.
A list of virtual resources is available on the Walker County Health Action Partnership website.
“Treatment facilities also decreased admissions to allow for social distancing. Some individuals put off treatment over fears about being exposed to coronavirus,” Schaffer said.
“Bradford has a detox unit in Walker County at Walker Baptist Medical Center. Because it is in a hospital, we have seen a decrease in our admissions there. People felt like they might be more at risk if they go to a hospital or go to treatment,” Schaffer said.
She added that some treatment programs reduced their hours and others shut down because of the virus.
Concerned over the increase in overdose deaths, the American Medical Association encouraged states in the spring to adopt rules that increase access to medications like methadone used to treat opioid use disorder.
Another person concerned with overdose rates is Dr. Darlene Traffanstedt, medical director of the Jefferson County Department of Health. She told al.com in a story published this week that drug overdose deaths in some parts of the state will exceed highs set in 2017.
During the question and answer session, Schaffer said the pandemic has had a few positive effects, including the expansion of telehealth services.
“It provided a way for people to access treatment who maybe didn’t live close enough to a treatment center or couldn’t make it to a brick-and-mortar facility,” she said.
The Journey Series
“The Journey Series” is based on “The Journey Day” offered in Jefferson County by the Recovery Ministries of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama. The Recovery Ministries partnered with the Walker County Health Action Partnership to offer it in Walker County.
Originally planned as a one-day event, the virtual series was developed after the coronavirus pandemic made in-person gatherings unsafe. It will continue each Thursday through Oct. 8.
In order to register, visit www.walkerrecoverymap.org/journey-series.
“The COVID pandemic has triggered a sharp increase in our overdose deaths … Unfortunately, we’re probably not going to know the true degree of this virus for several more months,” Sherie Schaffer, director of clinical operations for Bradford Health Services, said during the recent “Journey Series,” a free weekly webinar on addiction and recovery.
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