Dennis P. Watson

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https://hdl.handle.net/1805/6822

The opioid epidemic has touched every corner of our nation. Decades of scientific evidence demonstrates pragmatic harm reduction approaches (e.g., syringe exchanges, opioid substitution, and naloxone access) are key to more effective opioid-related prevention and treatment, yet wide-held misconceptions regarding substance use and substance users have impeded their impact. These misconceptions are rooted in an ideology of “bootstrap individualism” and popular 12-step/abstinence-only approaches that have little scientific support. Thus, dissemination and implementation of scientific findings into opioid-related policy and practice is of critical importance.

Dr. Dennis Watson’s work in this area developed from his professional interests in mental health, substance use, and community need for research. In collaboration with Dr. Bradley Ray, his projects examine the opioid epidemic in Indiana. This includes three federally-funded evaluation studies of different Indiana-based prevention and treatment efforts and a study of the implementation and effectiveness of an emergency department-based intervention for connecting opioid overdose survivors to medication-assisted treatment. A major focus of his current work is ensuring effective communication of results to community members, advocates, and legislators, through his work with an interdisciplinary team of researchers.

Dr. Watson’s work to disseminate and implement scientific findings into opioid-related policy and practice in Indiana is another example of how IUPUI faculty are TRANSLATING RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE.

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    Identifying Unreported Opioid Deaths Through Toxicology Data and Vital Records Linkage: Case Study in Marion County, Indiana, 2011–2016
    (American Public Health Association, 2018-12) Lowder, Evan M.; Ray, Bradley R.; Huynh, Philip; Ballew, Alfarena; Watson, Dennis P.; School of Public and Environmental Affairs
    Objectives. To demonstrate the severity of undercounting opioid-involved deaths in a local jurisdiction with a high proportion of unspecified accidental poisoning deaths. Methods. We matched toxicology data to vital records for all accidental poisoning deaths (n = 1238) in Marion County, Indiana, from January 2011 to December 2016. From vital records, we coded cases as opioid involved, specified other substance, or unspecified. We extracted toxicology data on opioid substances for unspecified cases, and we have reported corrected estimates of opioid-involved deaths after accounting for toxicology findings. Results. Over a 6-year period, 57.7% of accidental overdose deaths were unspecified and 34.2% involved opioids. Toxicology data showed that 86.8% of unspecified cases tested positive for an opioid. Inclusion of toxicology results more than doubled the proportion of opioid-involved deaths, from 34.2% to 86.0%. Conclusions. Local jurisdictions may be undercounting opioid-involved overdose deaths to a considerable degree. Toxicology data can improve accuracy in identifying opioid-involved overdose deaths. Public Health Implications. Mandatory toxicology testing and enhanced training for local coroners on standards for death certificate reporting are needed to improve the accuracy of local monitoring of opioid-involved accidental overdose deaths.