Spotlight on county-level drug overdose deaths among Indiana residents

Between 2016 and 2017, drug overdose deaths among Indiana residents increased from just more than 1,500 in 2016 to more than 1,800 in 2017. Twenty-eight of Indiana’s 92 counties (approx. 30 percent) saw an increase of more than five drug overdose deaths, but 10 counties (approx. 11 percent) saw a five or more decrease during the same time period. Most noticeably the counties of Boone, Starke and Harrison saw a decrease of ten, nine and eight resident drug overdose deaths, respectively. To view more county-specific data from 2017, visit ISDH’s drug overdose prevention webpage and select your county of interest. ISDH has just begun evaluating 2018 numbers.

Birth defect linked to maternal prescription opioid use

A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found a link between counties that had higher rates of opioid prescriptions and gastroschisis, a serious birth defect that can cause organs such as the stomach and liver to grow outside of an infant's body. This report analyzed data from 20 states, excluding Indiana, and found that during 2006-2015, the prevalence of gastroschisis was higher in areas where opioid prescription rates were high. More public health research is needed to understand the possible impact of prescription opioid use during pregnancy on neonatal outcomes in order to provide evidence-based information to healthcare providers and women about potential risks to the developing fetus. To view the full report, click here.

New grant opportunity targets underage drinking prevention

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is accepting applications for Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act (STOP Act) grants. The goal of this program is to prevent and reduce alcohol use among youth and young adults ages 12-20 in communities throughout the United States. The activities that are implemented in the project will aim to address community norms regarding alcohol use by youth, reduce opportunities for underage drinking by limiting youth access to alcohol, create changes in underage drinking enforcement efforts, address penalties for underage use, and/or reduce the prevalence of negative consequences associated with underage drinking (e.g., motor vehicle crashes, sexual assaults). The application deadline is March 22.

Take ISDH’s customer satisfaction survey

ISDH is conducting a Customer Satisfaction Survey to gauge how well ISDH provides public health services. The survey will be open until March 1. It only takes a few minutes, so please take a moment to complete it.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Employer Opioid Strategy – Event Series

February 12, 8:00am-3:00pm
The Indiana Chamber of Commerce and the Wellness Council of Indiana are hosting several events across Indiana to empower the business community to play a lead role in fighting the opioid epidemic. The events hope to educate and guide employers through the steps they can take to support prevention, early identification, treatment and recovery of opioid use disorder in their employees. The events began in January and will last through April. Register here.

Webinar: Leveraging Injury Prevention Efforts to Address ACEs, Suicide, and Opioid Misuse

February 13, 2:00pm and
February 26, 2:00pm
Safe States will lead a facilitated discussion with featured states in a two-part webinar series. In the first webinar, states will showcase their innovative efforts to apply a shared risk and protective factor approach to their injury prevention efforts. In the second webinar, learn about evaluation principles being successfully applied to measure this approach to injury prevention.

2019 Indiana State Breastfeeding Conference

February 21, 8:30am-4:15pm
Registration is open for the 2019 Indiana State Breastfeeding conference, which brings together lactation professionals, doctors, midwives, doulas, nutritionists, volunteer breastfeeding counselors and others interested in evidence-based breastfeeding information.
Location: Indianapolis, IN

Webinar: Mental health promotion: an opportunity for opioid overdose prevention

February 21, 3:00pm EST
The associations between mental health disorders and substance abuse are well-documented. This webinar will discuss the association between depression and opioid overdose deaths, and the implications for prevention efforts. Register here.