How disasters change drug use and overdose in U.S. communities
Direct and Indirect Effects of Disasters on Drug-Related Outcomes
This project looks at how disasters affect drug use, overdoses, arrests, and access to treatment for people living in affected U.S. communities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ohio State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbus, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11169929 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers will link federal disaster records with county death records, crime reports, and national survey responses to see what happens to drug use and related harms after disasters. They will use quasi-experimental statistical methods to compare places and people before and after disaster declarations across many years. The team will examine both direct effects (changes in overdose and mortality) and indirect pathways (distress, service disruptions, housing and economic impacts) that might increase risk. By combining large, geocoded disaster data with individual survey data, the work aims to produce findings that apply across different kinds of disasters and communities.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults living in U.S. counties that have experienced declared disasters and adults who are captured in national substance-use surveys are the population most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: People who live outside the United States, children, or people whose experiences are not captured in the national datasets used may not directly benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could guide emergency planning and public health actions to reduce overdoses and keep people connected to treatment after disasters.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research on single disasters produced mixed results, and using long-term, national disaster records with quasi-experimental methods is a relatively novel and more comprehensive approach.
Where this research is happening
Columbus, UNITED STATES
- Ohio State University — Columbus, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vuolo, Michael C — Ohio State University
- Study coordinator: Vuolo, Michael C
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.