استمارة البحث

Ask an Advisor Answers

Question:
Hello, My name is Bianca Jenkins and I am a 3rd year medical student working in a rural community in Michigan. I work in Arenac County in Michigan which as of 2018 has been ranked #80 out of #83 for health rankings by county in Michigan. I am only here for 6 months, but in this time I have seen many health issues. The health issue that has been particularly near and dear to me is their ever increasing opioid epidemic. With that said, I would like to educate the community about the opioid epidemic, how it has affected and affects their community and what they can do to help but I have no idea where to start. I have been looking for statistics specific to Arenac county but since it is a smaller town, there is not much literature besides vague "drug overdose" mortality records. I guess I'm just not sure where to go from here but any advice would be appreciated.
Answer:

Good morning, Bianca.  Thanks for contacting CTB.
Let's frame your objective during a 6-month stay as trying to lay a foundation for what might then be an ongoing effort by local people in Arenac County.  That raises several possibilities:
First, who else, and what organizations, in the county are already focusing on the opioid epidemic there?  If you have not done so, I suggest that you query the local health department, coroner, hospital emergency rooms, any available behavioral health (MH and SUD) providers, school district and law enforcement, county government officials; maybe even the local newspaper.  Find out several things.  What information have they already compiled about opioid use there?  In what ways are they concerned about opioid use there?  Are they working together/talking with each other about the issue?  (if not, your most valuable short-term contribution may be bringing them all together to share information and form a coalition against opioid use.).
Second, I suggest you query state behavioral health officials.  What additional information might they have compiled that compares opioid use in Arenac County with other counties in the state.  Ask for rate per thousand population information rather than just numerical counts, so you can make meaningful comparisons.
Finally, I encourage you to look at https://samhsa.gov for a lot of information about opioid use.  If other local resources with whom you have talked are not aware of this website, show them how to find it and what all it provides concerning the opioid epidemic.
You have focused upon a very important public health issue.  Although you are an "outsider" you bring genuine concern about the issue.  As you talk with some or all of those local resource people, approach them as a learner; be nonjudgmental and affirm what they might already be doing or considering.  
Because yoy will be there only six months, I have checked three of our core competencies that can contribute to laying foundation for subsequent leadership by others.
 

Question Date: أربعاء, 08/15/2018