Opioid crisis in Staten Island affects all races, ages, and socioeconomic backgrounds
he researchers conducted a case study based on interviews with 61 individuals in Staten Island affected by the crisis, supplemented by a literature review and assessment of treatment capacity and distribution of services on the island. While the problem was sometimes described by interviewees as primarily impacting youth, in 2016, the median age of overdose was 37. "People addicted to opioids on Staten Island come from all neighborhoods, races, ages, and socioeconomic backgrounds, a finding that goes against reports by local media, portraying the epidemic as one that primarily affects white youth in the more affluent neighborhoods," said Silvia Martins, MD, PhD,, professor of Epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health. "It is critical to provide opioid addiction services where they are most needed." Martins and colleagues found that some areas with the most overdoses are also the most underserved in terms of opioid addiction treatment clinics. The...