People in Northern Kentucky are for more likely than those in the rest of the state to know someone who uses heroin.

According to information released Tuesday by Interact for Health and the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, more than 1 in 10 Kentucky adults (13 percent) know someone with problems as a result of heroin use. This is about the same as in 2014 (11 percent), but it is an increase since 2013, when only 9 percent of adults knew someone who had problems due to heroin use.

In Northern Kentucky, nearly three times as many adults (35 percent) reported that they knew someone who had problems due to heroin use, the highest in the state. The number in Northern Kentucky has risen since 2014, when it was 26 percent.

“These higher numbers may be due in part to heightened awareness in Northern Kentucky, but there is no doubt that heroin use is a crisis in our region," said Lynne Saddler, M.D., M.P.H., District Director of Health for the Northern Kentucky Health Department.

“Even though we have seen some results in curbing heroin use, the issue remains one of major concern. Kentucky ranks second in the nation along with New Mexico for the most drug overdose deaths per capita,” said Ann Barnum, Vice President, Community Strategies, Interact for Health. “Drug overdose deaths in Kentucky quadrupled since 2000. Since 2008, more Kentucky adults have died each year from drug overdoses than from motor vehicle accidents.”

Young adults more likely to know someone who has used heroin

Young adults are more likely than older adults to report having friends or family members who had problems as a result of using heroin. One in 4 adults ages 18 to 29 (25 percent) reported knowing someone who had problems due to heroin use. This compares with only about 1 in 10 adults 30 to 45 (12 percent), 46 to 64 (10 percent) and 65 and older (7 percent).

1 in 4 knows someone who had misused prescription drugs

KHIP also asked, “Have any of your family members or friends experienced problems as a result of abusing prescription pain relievers such as OxyContin, Vicodin, Percocet or codeine?”

One in 4 Kentucky adults (25 percent) said yes. The percentage of adults who reported knowing someone who had problems due to prescription drug abuse has remained steady since 2013.

In Northern Kentucky, 3 in 10 adults (30 percent) reported knowing someone with problems as a result of prescription drug misuse.

White adults and those of lower income more likely to know someone who had misused prescription drugs

White adults (26 percent) were three times more likely than African American adults (9 percent) to report knowing someone who had problems due to prescription drug abuse. Likewise, adults earning less than 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) (29 percent) were more likely than adults earning more than 200% FPL (23 percent) to report this. About 3 in 10 adults ages 18 to 45 (32 percent) knew someone who had problems due to prescription drug misuse. This compares with about 2 in 10 adults 46 to 64 (23 percent) and fewer than 2 in 10 adults 65 and older (16 percent).

-Staff report