Heroin Victims

The heroin epidemic has cut across all states in the United States. An examination of New York City depicts a scenario in which the use of heroin has grown over the years due to production and distribution (Hamid 375). I used statistical and contextual analysis in my research. My data collection focused on a review of credible scholarly articles that have focused on America’s heroin epidemic. I also used data from the health department to get figures of heroin victims being hospitalized. Interviewing of patients was also part of my data collection method. I propose that this brief, yet in-depth information about the cause of heroin abuse is a critical lens that will help analyze America’s heroin epidemic (Bates 109). My proposal aims to focus on the topics such as for cause, harm and prevention measures which are associated with this epidemic. I plan to use this information in conjunction with others to understand the effect heroin has on its users. It without a doubt that heroin may lead to complications on the user’s body (Volkow 2063). I found out that the complexities may be as a result of non-sterile injection or the toxicity of heroin. Body complications exhibit themselves on the user’s body through conditions such as cerebral septic emboli and soft tissue infections among other conditions. Besides, heroin can lead to acute conditions which can be life-threatening (Ostling 32). These conditions are opioid-related which may be difficult for medical practitioners to deal with without assistance. Getting familiar with the symptoms related to the heroin epidemic will make diagnosis simpler and in an accurate way.

Challenges

During my research, I faced various challenges which curtailed almost curtailed my work. The first was limited information. Not many articles give an explicit elaboration about the heroin epidemic. This gap helps to open up the discussion of the available prevention measures related to the heroin epidemic. Besides, I found it challenging interviewing heron victims as they were uncooperative and unwilling to open up. By reviewing various research materials, I realized some of the prevention measures had been overlooked, and it is high time they were fully implemented to combat the epidemic (Bowser 28). Given the dramatic increase in the rate of heroin use and the strong potential for structural reforms currently put in place to reduce a shift of opioid users shifting to heroin, a public awareness campaign is necessary. My research will focus on formulating an active campaign that will target looking for a rise in heroin users. This is a good starting point as it will give an opportunity for the adopting of primary prevention measures that will address overdose of heroin with the aim of reducing deaths (Volkow 2063). Prevention measure may include opioid substitution therapies, that is, buprenorphine, which is successful in treating people who are too dependent on heroin and methadone therapy among other prevention measures.

Apart from primary prevention measures, there are subsequent efforts which include conducting heroin overdose awareness campaigns. These campaigns will incorporate national policies aimed at addressing prescription drug abuse (Bowser 29). Tertiary prevention measure may consist of targeted campaigns to identify and reverse an overdose. They may include intervention measures aimed at reducing harm such as safe injection facilities and rescue breathing among others (Wood 165). Indeed, the success of prevention measures across America in this study suggests the need for national and more funding that will bring more effect with the aim of addressing the heroin epidemic.

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