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Policy Analysis Of Kentucky Senate Bill 192, Sierra Nicole Dantzler

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Needle sharing has become an important factor in the prevalence of HIV and viral hepatitis rates as injection drug use of illicit substances, such as heroin and prescription opioids, has increased across the United States. Kentucky, much like the rest of the nation, has also been devastated by the recent surge of injection drug use. In 2010, drug overdose rates ranked Kentucky as the third highest state in the nation. Hepatitis B (HBV) and Hepatitis C (HCV) rates within Kentucky have been consistently higher than the national rate since 2007 and 2003, respectively. Hospital discharge costs related to HCV infections …