The Heroin Epidemic and its Correlates

Indianapolis, IN

This study utilizes secondary data to explore two hypotheses related to the heroin crisis. Hypothesis one used data from years 2006 to 2016 to search for a relationship between opioid prescribing rates and heroin use. It was hypothesized that increases in opioid prescribing rates would predict increases in heroin abuse. Correlational analysis revealed no relationship between the two. Linear regression analyses were inconclusive as to whether increases in opioid prescribing rates predicted increases in heroin abuse. Hypothesis two examined the differences between high overdose rate counties and low overdose rate counties. An independent samples t-test revealed that high overdose counties are: primarily white, rural, small in population, low economic status, and reside in high opioid overdose states. Statistical analyses confirmed hypothesis 2, except there were no regional differences found between high and low overdose counties.