Interventions to Combat the Infectious Disease Ramifications of the U.S. Opioid Crisis

In the second of a two-part series, we explore the impact of the opioid epidemic on HIV and other health conditions in California and Nevada. Downstream consequences of the U.S. opioid epidemic, including the many lives left in its wake, are a reminder that efforts to combat infectious disease must begin with the search for root causes and potential structural interventions. A syndemics approach facilitates research, policy, and practice that favors the understanding that this current crisis is not a problem associated with a single disease. For people who inject drugs, vulnerability for acquiring HIV and HCV are important considerations when crafting policies and implementing programs.