Date of Award

2024

Degree Name

Geography

College

College of Liberal Arts

Type of Degree

M.S.

Document Type

Thesis

First Advisor

Dr. Hilton Cόrdoba, Committee Chairperson

Second Advisor

Dr. James Leonard

Third Advisor

Dr. Anita Walz

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the multifaceted factors contributing to opioid-related deaths in West Virginia, focusing on healthcare determinants and regional disparities. Opioid mortality has become a critical public health issue in the United States, particularly in states like West Virginia, where rates of opioid-related deaths are disproportionately high compared to national averages. This thesis tends to investigate the impact of healthcare determinants on opioid mortality rates and explore the spatial variability of opioid-related deaths in West Virginia. To achieve these objectives, data was collected from secondary sources such as the West Virginia Health Statistics Center, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), the U.S. Census Bureau, and other socioeconomic databases. Variables of interest include opioid mortality rates, poverty rates, unemployment rates, healthcare access metrics, Naloxone centers, and demographic characteristics. Regression analysis was used to analyze the collective influence of these independent variables on opioid mortality rates at the county level; temporal and spatial trends of opioid mortality from 2001 to 2023 were accessed, and residuals analysis was done to identify outliers that may influence the model. The results indicated that southern counties exhibit extreme opioid mortality rates, with clusters of overpredicted and some underpredicted values in the southern parts of the state. This suggests the presence of other significant factors, in addition to healthcare access variables such as hospitals per county, that contribute to the variations in opioid mortality across the state.

Subject(s)

Opioid abuse -- Mortality.

Poverty -- Health aspects.

Regional disparities -- West Virginia.

Unemployment -- West Virginia.

Health services accessibility.

West Virginia.

Download

Share

COinS