I submitted a records request to the Ohio Department of Health Tuesday asking for data on overdose deaths so that news outlets around the state can pinpoint the hot spots, begin research on how we can assist in the reversal of the epidemic.
Spokeswoman Melanie Amato was helpful in helping me understand what is available, advised it will be a couple weeks because of vacations.
That’s okay — reporters at a recent heroin summit agreed to be deliberate in this work.
However, in looking at the data shared with Your Voice Ohio by the Chillicothe Gazette, there already are some fascinating discoveries.
For example, the idea that people are coming from other counties to overdose in “our county” — something I’ve heard — doesn’t seem to be supported. More detailed data we’ve requested will help us see what kind of movement there is within the county.
OD deaths of all types (includes alcohol, cocaine, meth, etc) men vs. women: 2 to 1. What is it that causes men to be in positions where overdoses are more likely?
OD deaths of all types — and this is just a rough estimate — minorities may be disproportionately low. If the concentration of abuse is in the Ohio Valley, this is not a surprise. We’ll get two years and see what happens. If the concentration of abuse is in the Ohio Valley, this is not a surprise. How is this useful?
What we need are stories from the hot spots where people have successfully resisted the culture, or pulled themselves away from the culture.
