Universities unite to address opioid problem in central Appalachian region

Go to Google and type: "main cause of accidental death in …"

Then type in a state – no matter what state the Appalachian Center – and start a search.

The answer is the same: opioid overdoses and drug poisoning are leading deaths in these states, far ahead of the old leaders, such as car accidents and gun violence.

Now, thanks to a new grant from the Institute for Patient-Centered Results Research (PCORI), Virginia Tech-led universities will unite scientists, a range of health care providers and services, as well as that communities, including recovering people, to deal with the problem of opioids directly in the epicenter of the epidemic.

"Everyone responds to the crisis based on their expertise, from first responders to treatment specialists, to researchers, and we can learn a lot from each other if we have better ways to share," Kimberly said. Horn, professor at Fralin Biomedical. VTC Research Institute and Population Health Sciences Department of Virginia Virginia College of Veterinary Medicine Virginia Tech. "Research is the key to finding new, better-performing solutions – for example, when we bring research universities together with emergency service providers, law enforcement and health care systems. such as Ballad Health in Tennessee and Carilion Clinic in Virginia, research priorities and share best practices, we can turn the tide. "

The operation, named Opioid Research Consortium of Central Appalachia (ORCA), is led by Horn and co-principal Robert Pack, vice-dean of academic affairs and professor of community and behavioral health at the College of Health Health's East Tennessee. State University (ETSU).

"The central Appalachians are at the epicenter of the opioid crisis," said Pack, who is also executive director of the Center for Drug Abuse and Drug Treatment at the University of Toronto. State of East Tennessee, Associate Dean and Professor at the College of Public Health of ETSU. "The purpose of the grant is to facilitate the planning of an opioid research project for the central Appalachian region."

The consortium also includes professors from Marshall University, the University of Kentucky, and the University of West Virginia.

In central Appalachia, West Virginia, southwestern Virginia, eastern Kentucky, southeastern Ohio, eastern Tennessee, and eastern West of North Carolina, the opioid mortality rate is the highest in the country, and access to treatment is limited. In tackling the problem of dependence, the regional groups have acquired a lot of know-how.

"This kind of community-based knowledge leads us to carry out research that has a significant impact," said Horn. "These experiences help us conduct research that generates more meaningful responses for Central Appalachians – in part because they help formulate research questions."

For example, experts from Marshall University and their communities around Huntington, West Virginia, have gained invaluable knowledge after nearly two decades of responding to the problem of opiates.

Roanoke Valley's collective response to the opioid and addictions crisis, a new group of more than 70 organizations and nearly 200 members representing professionals and community members in all aspects of the crisis, will serve as a community advisory group initial for ORCA.

"This is the kind of work that brings academics, communities, and health care providers together to solve big problems," said Michael Friedlander, vice president of Virginia Tech for Science and Technology of the United States. Health and Executive Director of VTC's Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. "It is only through the objectives, expertise and experiences of the collaborations of these groups that we will probably be able to solve problems such as the opioid crisis, and I am delighted to see Dr. Horn and his colleagues take the lead in This important initiative represents for us the first project sponsored by the Patient-Led Outcomes Research Institute. "

Consortium leaders will be meeting in Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va., In May, to discuss next steps, including sharing resources, conducting joint research trials, and creating a platform for collaboration. form of research training for students.

"Collaboration will be our key success factor," said Robert Trestman, director of psychiatry and behavioral medicine at Carilion Clinic and Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. "We all understand that we can not do this important work in isolation, and we need our patients and our community to continue to strengthen our partnerships, and this grant will strengthen the work already under way."

Leaders intend to build an open-ended scientific culture that includes organizational and individual partners in higher education, private health care systems, state governments and community organizations. More importantly, the commitment of the community and patients is the centerpiece of this effort.

"When we talk between silos and institutions and better meet the needs of our communities, we can make significant progress in our efforts to help the people of Appalachia," said Horn.