BY DAY 6

Respond to  two of your colleagues’ postings who discussed a different social justice issue than you did. Explain how other factors may influence how the social justice issue is perceived and addressed.

MICHELLE

Contemporary Social Justice Issue 

The US opioid overdose crisis is a social justice issue and a public health emergency. The death rate of drug overdose more than tripled from 1999 to 2017. The public stigma surrounding opioid use continues to fundamentally hinder the response to the opioid overdose crisis, causing people with opioid use disorders to disengage from care, resulting in poorer health outcomes, psychological distress, and poorer quality of life (Tsai, et al., 2019).  The opioid overdose crisis is a complex, multifaceted, public health emergency that urgently requires the implementation of evidence-based primary, secondary, and tertiary preventive interventions.

One Related Historical Social Justice Issue 

With the Covid-19 pandemic, women have been disproportionally affected by the opioid epidemic and the physical and biosocial effects of opioid use specific to women are an important consideration for healthcare providers. Cook (2022) reports recent data show that the effects of the opioid epidemic on rates of opioid use disorder (OUD), overdoses, and the economy continue to rise, despite global efforts to understand the drivers and develop effective prevention and intervention strategies, programs, and policies. 

What Stands Out and Manifestation 

An opioid epidemic has been happening across the world since the 1990s and continues to impact individuals, families, communities and societies around the globe. Cook (2022) reports that women have been disproportionally affected by the opioid epidemic and the physical and biosocial effects of opioid use specific to women are an important consideration for healthcare providers. The epidemic has evolved from heroin misuse to the use of synthetic opioids that are easily manufactured and are readily available. Reasons for the continuing opioid epidemic are complex, and include factors related to mental health, addiction, and chronic pain relief. Pregnant women aren't immune to the opioid epidemic ravaging the country, and these babies are more likely to be smaller, and as many as 80% of the babies have withdrawal symptoms.

References

Cook, J. L. (2022). The opioid epidemic.  Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics &

Gynaecology,  85(Part B), 53–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2022.07.003

Tsai AC, Kiang MV, Barnett ML, Beletsky L, Keyes KM, McGinty EE, et al. (2019) Stigma as a

fundamental hindrance to the United States opioid overdose crisis response.

WHITNEY

Contemporary Social Justice Issue 

The contemporary social justice issue chosen was gun violence.  Gun violence affects people of ALL ages and races in the United States, but it has a disproportionate impact on young adults, males, and racial/ethnic minorities (Beardslee, Docherty, Mulvey, & Pardini, 2021).  Just recently, in a small county in Mississippi (near my HOME), a man, age 25 years old, allegedly murdered two innocent children ages 1yr and 9 years old at gunpoint on January 9th.  Gun violence is one of the leading causes of premature deaths in the U.S.  Each year, approximately 117,345 people are shot (Brady Campaign, 2023).  According to the Brady Campaign, approximately 40,620 people die from gun violence, 15,343 are murdered, 76,725 people survive gunshot injuries and 34,566 are intentionally shot by someone else and survived.  The ongoing gun violence is very disconcerting  and one of the solutions to address gun violence is to include a national system of licensing and registration along with comprehensive background checks.

One Related Historical Social Justice Issue 

The Charleston church shooting was one of the most disheartening and devastating events that has transpired in the United States.  The shooting happened inside the Mother Emanuel AME, which is an African Methodist Episcopal, Church in the city of Charleston on June 17, 2015.  The white supremacist, Dylan Roof, assassinated 9 African Americans, in the middle of bible study and fled the scene without injury (Della Cava, 2020).  When the news of the shooting was learned, I was furious, angry, emotional, distraught to hear that 9 innocent people was murdered inside a church, where it is considered for some of us as a “safe” place. 

What Stands Out and Manifestation 

The issue that stands out the most is the easy access to gun and the lack of action that the United States is taking to restrict access to guns in all states.  Compared to other countries, the United States have the highest percentage of gun violence.  This can be due to the decease of community safety, unsupervised access to guns, and involvement in risky community behaviors such as drug dealing and usage (Beardslee, Docherty, Mulvey, & Pardini, 2021). 

References:

Beardslee, J., Docherty, M., Mulvey, E., & Pardini, D. (2021). The direct and indirect associations between childhood socioeconomic disadvantage

         and adolescent gun violence. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 50(3), 326-336.

Brady Campaign (2023). Gun Violence.  Retrieved on January 10, 2023, from Key Statistics – Brady Campaign https://www.bradyunited.org › key-

        statistics.  

Della Cava, M. (2020).  . USA Today, 04A.