Abstract
Heroin use has increased significantly in the United States over the past decade. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heroin use has increased 63% between 2002 and 2013. Heroin-related overdose deaths have increased four-fold over the same time period. The National Center for Health Statistics reported heroin-related deaths were higher for men (N = 6,525) than women (N = 1,732). Traditionally, heroin users are men ages 18 to 25 with low incomes, but the demographics of heroin users have changed to include individuals with higher incomes and private insurance, as well as non-Hispanic White women. Individuals who use heroin also tend to use alcohol and other drugs, such as marijuana, cocaine, and prescription opioid painkillers. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 54(6), 30-37.].
