Opioid Use in Maryland – Baltimore County

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Opioid Use in Maryland – Baltimore County

Use of opioids is on the increase in the United States of America and within various states as evidenced by Maryland, and specifically Baltimore County. Recent trends show that opioid consumption has reached an epidemic level with addiction to natural and semisynthetic drugs, synthetic opioids, methadone, and heroin rising (The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 2017a). Opioid related deaths in Maryland has grown from 1089 fatalities in 2015 to 1856 deaths in 2016, with Baltimore County registering the second highest rates after Baltimore City (Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 2017). Baltimore County registered 208 deaths associated with heroin use, 67 for prescription opioid, and 182 for fentanyl use. Demographic trends show that mortality is higher among persons aged 45 to 54 years, the male users, and persons of white descent. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (2017b) supports that opioid overdose is highest among whites and males, with Hispanics reporting the lowest number of deaths.

Prevention and treatment of opioid use within Baltimore County is useful in addressing the epidemic at the county level. A recommendation is the implantation of a prescription drug monitoring system. The approach would include training of health care providers in the evaluation of benefits and risks of all opioid prescriptions and provision of evidence–based guidelines to facilitate capacity building among providers and users. The target group is white patients, identified amongst the highest users (The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 2017b). The goal is to reduce on opioid prescribing and address accessibility to substances among at-risk groups. Following evaluation of opioid prescription health care providers may give their patients suggestions on coping skills that may not include opioid prescription.

References

Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. (2017). Drug- and alcohol-related intoxication deaths in Maryland, 2016. Baltimore, MD: Maryland Department of Health.

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. (2017a). Opioid overdose deaths by type of opioid. Menlo Park, CA: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. (2017b). Medicaid’s role in addressing the opioid epidemic. Menlo Park, CA: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

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