Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Poll: Percentage of Kentucky Adults Who Know Someone Abusing Prescription Pills Drops

WFPL

A new poll shows one in four Kentuckians knows someone who has abused prescription pain drugs.

The Kentucky Health Issues Poll also showed a decrease in the number of adults in the commonwealth who were prescribed pain pills. In 2011, about half of adults had a pain pill prescription. The poll released this week shows that’s declined to one in three adults.

The latest poll also shows 24 percent of Kentucky adults say they know someone who has abused prescription pain drugs, down from the 32 percent who said so in 2011.

Opioids, including prescription pain pills, are the most common cause of overdose deaths. The commonwealth has the second-highest rate of drug deaths in the nation, according to a report published last year by United Healthcare Foundation.

Kentucky recorded over 1,400 overdose deaths in 2016.

The Kentucky Health Issues Poll was conducted on behalf of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky and the Cincinnati-based Interact for Health.

Kevin is the News Director at WKU Public Radio. He has been with the station since 1999, and was previously the Assistant News Director, and also served as local host of Morning Edition.
Related Content