As Native American communities across the United States grapple with the opioid epidemic, many are feeling the crushing effects of fentanyl striking their own communities. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid with effects similar to morphine or heroin, has caused overdose deaths throughout the United States, and Native American reservations are no exception. Unfortunately, those in Native American communities have not been receiving the help they need to address this ever-growing crisis as the Indian Health Service (IHS) continues to struggle with providing adequate resources and health care.
The IHS, a federal agency providing health programs to members of federally-recognized tribes throughout the United States, is responsible for catering to the wellness of the Native American population. However, due to inadequate funding, IHS has suffered from a lack of resources such as lack of medical staff, the inability to keep up with increasing overdose numbers, and a shortage of medication-assisted treatments. As a result, Native American populations face startling opioid statistics, despite the growing awareness of the opioid crisis nationwide.
For example, according to a 2018 study, Native American reservations in South Dakota had rates of opioid deaths higher than any other racial group in the state. Additionally, research suggests that revelations had a rate of opioid overdoses seven times higher than the rest of the United States. Further, in 2017 the National Institute on Drug Abuse reported that during the previous year, prescriptions of opioids were four times more likely in Native American communities compared to other races. These statistics are a cause for major concern among both health experts and Native American communities, yet the IHS has been unable to provide the support needed to combat the issue.
The opioid crisis in Native American communities has yet to be addressed in a meaningful and substantive manner. The lack of primary care physicians in Native American hospitals and shared cultural and linguistic barriers have further complicated the Native American struggle against opioid addiction. If the IHS continues to lack the resources necessary to help Native American communities fight this battle, the crisis may worsen in the coming years. The outlook remains bleak unless the IHS receives significantly increased funding for addiction treatment and other resources to assist those in Native American communities who are suffering from the effects of fentanyl and other opioids.
As Native American communities across the United States grapple with the opioid epidemic, many are feeling the crushing effects of fentanyl striking their own communities. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid with effects similar to morphine or heroin, has caused overdose deaths throughout the United States, and Native American reservations are no exception. Unfortunately, those in Native American communities have not been receiving the help they need to address this ever-growing crisis as the Indian Health Service (IHS) continues to struggle with providing adequate resources and health care.
The IHS, a federal agency providing health programs to members of federally-recognized tribes throughout the United States, is responsible for catering to the wellness of the Native American population. However, due to inadequate funding, IHS has suffered from a lack of resources such as lack of medical staff, the inability to keep up with increasing overdose numbers, and a shortage of medication-assisted treatments. As a result, Native American populations face startling opioid statistics, despite the growing awareness of the opioid crisis nationwide.
For example, according to a 2018 study, Native American reservations in South Dakota had rates of opioid deaths higher than any other racial group in the state. Additionally, research suggests that revelations had a rate of opioid overdoses seven times higher than the rest of the United States. Further, in 2017 the National Institute on Drug Abuse reported that during the previous year, prescriptions of opioids were four times more likely in Native American communities compared to other races. These statistics are a cause for major concern among both health experts and Native American communities, yet the IHS has been unable to provide the support needed to combat the issue.
The opioid crisis in Native American communities has yet to be addressed in a meaningful and substantive manner. The lack of primary care physicians in Native American hospitals and shared cultural and linguistic barriers have further complicated the Native American struggle against opioid addiction. If the IHS continues to lack the resources necessary to help Native American communities fight this battle, the crisis may worsen in the coming years. The outlook remains bleak unless the IHS receives significantly increased funding for addiction treatment and other resources to assist those in Native American communities who are suffering from the effects of fentanyl and other opioids.
