One of the key pillars of the HEALing Communities Study (HCS) was overdose education and naloxone distribution (OEND). The new American Journal of Public Health paper “Effect of the Communities That HEAL Intervention on Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution: A Cluster-Randomized, Wait-List Controlled Trial” shares the finding that the Communities that HEAL (CTH) intervention significantly increased naloxone distribution as compared with usual care in Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York, and Ohio.
The HCS is an NIH-funded, wait-list controlled implementation science trial in four states with high rates of opioid overdose. Using multiple approaches, the HCS led to the creation of powerful community coalitions and caused an estimated 489 deaths to be averted. One of those approaches was OEND.
OEND is an evidence-backed harm reduction practice that reduces overdose deaths by increasing access to and understanding of naloxone (Narcan). Despite increases in availability in recent years, modeling shows insufficient access, especially in rural communities and to Black and Hispanic persons. Evaluation of the HCS found that naloxone distribution was 79% higher in the CTH intervention communities as compared to the usual care arm of the study.
The counties that participated in the first wave of the study implemented more than 250 unique OEND strategies. Despite variation across states, all communities targeted health care, behavioral health, and criminal justice sectors with their interventions.
The over-the-counter availability of naloxone, introduced in 2023, marks significant progress in improving access to this life-saving medication. However, cost barriers may limit its reach, and stigma or discrimination from pharmacy staff remains a concern. Opioid overdose education and naloxone distribution continues to be a critical component of harm reduction, playing a key role in addressing the opioid epidemic and reducing overdose deaths." Said Professor Nabila El-Bassel.