According to the CDC, Opioids (including prescription opioid pain relievers and heroin) killed more than 28,000 people in 2014, more than any year on record. At least half of all opioid overdose deaths involve a prescription opioid.
Simply put, Opioids are a class of drugs used to relieve or reduce pain. They reduce the intensity of pain signals reaching the brain and affect those brain areas controlling emotion, which diminishes the effects of a painful stimulus. Prescription opioids can be prescribed by doctors to treat moderate to severe pain, but can also have serious risks and side effects. Common types are oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), morphine, and methadone. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid pain reliever. It is many times more powerful than other opioids and is approved for treating severe pain, typically advanced cancer pain.1 Illegally made and distributed fentanyl has been on the rise in several states. Heroin is an illegal opioid. Heroin use has increased across the U.S. among men and women, most age groups, and all income levels.
In 2015, Governor Snyder created an Opioid Task Force that was tasked with developing recommendations on how to combat the growing Opioid crisis in the state. According to documents released by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Michigan ranks 10th in the U.S. for opioid prescription rates and 18th in the nation for overdose deaths.
In June 2016, The MiHIA Board of Directors requested an environmental scan of the opioid issues in the MiHIA region. The information collected and provided within the MiHIA Opioid Environmental Scan was obtained from members of the MiHIA Population Health Strategy Team and is data collected by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
The scan provides information on current efforts within the MiHIA region by county, as well as tables which illustrate the magnitude of the drug poisoning deaths, hospitalizations and prescription dispensations rates related to opioids or heroin within the MiHIA region.
If you are aware of additional efforts or programs not listed within the scan, or would like to contribute, please contact MiHIA at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Our vision is for our region is to become the healthiest thriving community with the best quality and value in health care
This website is for informational purposes only. Michigan Health Improvement Alliance, Inc (MiHIA) is not responsible for the accuracy of information provided by other sources. MiHIA does not give medical advice or recommend any particular health care providers. Consult your physician with any health-related questions or concerns.
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