A rural community’s perspective on the causes of and solutions to the opioid crisis in southern Virginia: a qualitative study

Abstract

Introduction: Opioid use disorder is a leading public health issue in the USA, with complex drivers requiring a multi-level response. Rural communities are particularly affected by opioid misuse. Due to variability in local conditions and resources, they require community-specific responses. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the perceptions, knowledge, and experiences of members of a rural community impacted by the opioid crisis to inform the development of local strategies to address the crisis. Methods: Stakeholder focus groups were conducted by a participatory research team as part of a larger project using the Stakeholder Engagement in Question Development and Prioritization (SEED) Method. Results: Key findings from the focus groups included the importance of family dynamics and social networks as risk and resiliency factors, addressing hopelessness as a preventive strategy, the need for holistic approaches to treatment, childhood exposure resulting in intergenerational substance use, the needs of overburdened healthcare providers, the expansion of long-term rehabilitation programs, and the need for judicial reform towards those with opioid use disorder. Specific and well-defined strategies are needed for more comprehensive methods to address the complexity of opioid use disorder. Understanding factors that contribute to opioid use disorder in rural communities through a stakeholder engagement process should be the first responsive strategy in developing actions. Conclusion: This study shows that rural community stakeholders provide important perspectives that can be useful in solving the drug epidemic in their neighborhoods. Their understanding of the internal dynamics of the communities’ needs offers a unique roadmap in which prioritized actions can be customized and adapted for improving health outcomes.

What features of drug treatment programs help, or not, with access? a qualitative study of the perspectives of family members and community-based organization staff in Atlantic Canada

“…A few family members and CBO staff in our research were reportedly active in helping to address a few policies and practices that were not helpful such as providing access to a phone in instances where a phone was necessary to access a treatment space. These findings add to the body of literature on family and CBO support for PWUS when accessing treatment, including literature which indicates that these groups sometimes help with providing transportation to treatment [42][43][44][45]. According to the literature, providing support may have personal impacts on those providing the support, and research has found, for example, that some family members report physical and mental health issues (e.g.…”