Mapping the Opioid Epidemic in Rhode Island: Where Are We Missing Resources?

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Background:

• Opioid overdose deaths have significantly increased in Rhode Island over the past decade.
• Despite a slight recent decrease, the epidemic remains a critical public health concern, with 314 deaths in 2018 and 208 in the first nine months of 2019.

Purpose of the Study:

• To spatially identify regions in Rhode Island with the greatest need for opioid emergency response and rehabilitation resources.
• To guide the strategic allocation of resources for combating the opioid crisis.

Main Methods:

• Utilized geographic information systems (GIS) to analyze overdose rates and proximity to emergency departments.
• Mapped areas with high treatment admission rates that are geographically distant from Centers of Excellence (COEs) offering medication-assisted treatment (MAT).

Main Results:

• Identified Burrillville, Coventry, Bristol, and Portsmouth as areas requiring enhanced emergency response resources.
• Pinpointed Western Hopkinton, Western Richmond, and Western Scituate as locations needing improved access to high-quality rehabilitation services.

Conclusions:

• The spatial analysis highlights specific geographic disparities in resource accessibility for opioid overdose emergencies and rehabilitation.
• Findings provide critical data to inform future decisions on locating COEs and emergency services to effectively address the Rhode Island opioid epidemic.