The Opioid Epidemic: How Public Health Can Make a Difference

The opioid epidemic has affected communities across the United States for more than two decades, touching families, health care systems, schools, workplaces and local governments. While opioid overdose deaths have declined in recent years, the crisis remains a significant public health challenge, one that requires prevention, education, treatment and compassionate community support. 

Opioids are a class of drugs that include prescription medications such as oxycodone and hydrocodone, as well as illegal drugs such as heroin and fentanyl. These medications can be important tools for managing severe pain when used appropriately, but they can also lead to dependence, opioid use disorder and overdose. 

Understanding the Opioid Epidemic 

The nation's opioid crisis has developed in several waves. The first began in the 1990s as opioid prescribing increased. A second wave emerged around 2010 with increasing deaths involving heroin. Beginning around 2013, a third wave was driven largely by synthetic opioids, particularly illegally-manufactured fentanyl. 

Fentanyl has dramatically changed the landscape of the epidemic. Illegally manufactured fentanyl can be found in powder and counterfeit pill forms and may be mixed with other drugs without a person's knowledge. Because of its potency, people may unknowingly consume fentanyl, increasing the risk of fatal overdose. 

The numbers demonstrate the scope of the challenge. In 2023, approximately 105,000 people died from drug overdoses in the United States, and nearly 80,000 of those deaths involved opioids. Although opioid-related deaths remained extremely high, 2023 marked the first annual decline since 2018. More recent provisional Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data show continued improvement: an estimated 44,564 overdose deaths involving opioids occurred in 2025, down from approximately 55,296 in 2024. 

These declines offer reason for hope, but they do not mean the crisis is over. Communities continue to face the effects of substance use disorder, including health complications, family disruption, economic costs and barriers to treatment. 

A Public Health Approach 

Addressing the opioid epidemic requires more than responding to overdoses after they occur. Public health professionals can help communities identify risk factors, educate residents, implement evidence-based interventions and develop policies that improve access to care. 

Prevention can take many forms. Health professionals can promote safe prescribing practices, educate patients about the risks associated with opioids, connect individuals with substance use treatment and help communities recognize the signs of an overdose. Reducing stigma is also critical. Treating opioid use disorder as a health condition rather than simply a moral failing can make it easier for people to seek help. Public health must also consider heath equity, recognizing that access to prevention, treatment and recovery resources is not the same for every community or population. 

Harm-reduction strategies can save lives, too. Naloxone, a medication that can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose, is available without a prescription and can be administered by bystanders. When given in time, naloxone can restore breathing and potentially prevent a fatal overdose. 

Public health professionals also play an important role in using data to understand where the greatest needs exist. Epidemiologists, health educators, policymakers and community health professionals can work together to identify patterns, evaluate interventions and direct resources toward populations and communities experiencing the greatest impact. 

Ultimately, addressing the opioid epidemic requires collaboration. Health departments, hospitals, schools, nonprofits, policymakers, law enforcement, families and individuals all have a role to play. No single organization can solve the crisis alone. 

Prepare to Make a Difference with an M.P.H. from Concordia Nebraska 

For professionals who want to address complex health challenges such as the opioid epidemic, a Master of Public Health can provide the knowledge and skills needed to make an impact at the community and population levels. 

Concordia University, Nebraska's online Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) program prepares students to develop, implement and evaluate strategies that promote health and prevent disease. The 39-credit-hour program can be completed in 24 months, with eight-week courses delivered entirely online. Students study core areas including epidemiology, biostatistics, health policy and management, environmental health sciences and social and behavioral sciences. 

Students can also tailor their education through concentrations in community health education, health policy and administration or medication safety and pharmacovigilance.  The community health education concentration explores health behavior, program development, health marketing and communication, while health policy and administration focuses on public policy, management and organizational leadership. The medication safety and pharmacovigilance concentration is offered in partnership with Concordia University Wisconsin and focuses on detecting, assessing, understanding and preventing harmful side effects or other issues with the development of medicines. 

Concordia's M.P.H. combines professional preparation with a Biblical foundation and an emphasis on service. For those called to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities, the program can provide a pathway to becoming an informed, compassionate public health leader, ready to help address challenges like the opioid epidemic and build healthier communities for the future. 

Concordia University, Nebraska's online Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) program prepares students to address complex public health challenges through evidence-based prevention, education, policy and community engagement. With flexible eight-week online courses and a faith-based approach to serving others, Concordia's M.P.H. program equips students to become compassionate, knowledgeable public health leaders.