College of Public Health Studies Heroin Use

Dr. Bill Brooks, Lecturer in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology in the East Tennessee State University College of Public Health and Dr. Faustine Williams, Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Services Management and Policy have received a Major Grant award from the Research Development Committee.  Dr. Brooks is principal investigator and Dr. Williams is co-investigator for the grant.  They will work in partnership with the ETSU Center for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment to launch a qualitative study of individuals in recovery for heroin use at Overmountain Recovery Clinic.

This study aims to use group model building and one-on-one interviews to identify factors influencing fentanyl-related overdose risk in Central Appalachian heroin user communities. Targeted prevention efforts have effectively lowered illicit use of prescribed opioids in the United States over the past eight years; however, heroin-associated overdose mortality has tripled during the same period. Driving this dramatic spike in mortality is the spread of fentanyl-adulterated or substituted heroin, which carries a potency 50 to 100 times higher than heroin alone.

“This study is a community-based effort to identify ways of better serving the hidden, vulnerable, and stigmatized populations of Southern Appalachia who are most affected by the opioid crisis,” stated Dr. Brooks.  “I am so appreciative for the university’s support in doing this important work.”

The results of this qualitative study will be used in the creation of a dynamic model of fentanyl-related overdose risk to be applied in subsequent studies aimed at developing, implementing, and evaluating culturally relevant interventions to prevent these types of overdoses in the region. Sam Pettyjohn, doctoral student in the College of Public Health, will also be a part of this project.