Focus Area: Substance Use

Safer Futures: Preventing Underage Drinking in Iowa

The Public Science Collaborative (PSC) partnered with Council Bluffs, Sioux City, and Waterloo to develop interactive dashboards of the alcohol risk environment in each community. The dashboards were developed as part of PSC’s participatory substance use surveillance monitoring program and are designed to serve as a resource to support data-informed decision-making aimed at reducing underage …

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Safer Futures: Monitoring Opioid and Stimulant Harms in Rural Places

This quick read highlights community-based opioid monitoring systems the Public Science Collaborative developed as part of their participatory substance use surveillance monitoring program. These systems focus on the reduction of opioid-related harms and were launched in Lee, Jones, Jackson, and Dubuque counties. 

Lee County Substance Use Monitoring System screen capture

Lee County Substance Use Monitoring System

As part of the Public Science Collaborative’s substance use monitoring work, this dashboard helps visualize the landscape of substance use in Lee County by supporting stakeholders in designing data-driven interventions to improve community health and safety—especially by reducing opioid overdoses and related harms. This system includes in-depth insights, a data map of substance use retailers …

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Screen capture of substance use monitoring system dashboard

Jackson, Jones, and Dubuque County Substance Use Monitoring System

Jackson, Jones, and Dubuque County Substance Use Monitoring System Explore the Dashboard As part of the Public Science Collaborative’s substance use monitoring work, this dashboard helps visualize the landscape of substance use in Jackson, Jones, and Dubuque by supporting stakeholders in designing data-driven interventions to improve community health and safety. 

Iowa Alcohol Insights Platform screen capture

Iowa Alcohol Insights Platform

The Iowa Alcohol Insights Platform contains information about alcohol establishments, school locations, and alcohol-related car crashes in Iowa. Iowa communities can use this map to see if they have alcohol risk factors such as clusters of establishments or OWI car crashes. Community leaders and action groups can also assess the proximity of alcohol establishments to …

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Barton County substance use monitoring system screen capture

Barton County’s Substance Use Monitoring System

As part of the Public Science Collaborative’s substance use monitoring work, this dashboard helps visualize the landscape of substance use in Barton County, Kansas by supporting stakeholders in designing data-driven interventions to improve community health and safety.

Woman in red jacket stands and smiles down at a clipboard

Iowa’s Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) Platform

The Public Science Collaborative conducted background research, prototyping, user listening sessions, and system design to prepare Iowa’s Department of Health and Human Services for building the statewide Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) Platform. The dashboards on the state’s platform display information on substance use disorder treatment admissions, substance involved deaths, and hospitalizations and emergency department …

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Designing a Cerro Gordo County Alcohol Surveillance System cover page

Designing a Cerro Gordo County Alcohol Surveillance System

As part of the Public Science Collaborative’s Alcohol Research Initiative, PSC partnered with Cerro Gordo County to strategize the design of an alcohol surveillance system. PSC worked with the county to identify community strengths, pressing problems, questions to guide action, and understand health and safety data needs. 

Substance Use Vulnerability Index screen capture

Substance Use Risk Index to Support Vulnerable Populations in Iowa

As part of the Public Science Collaborative’s substance use work, PSC developed data resources to help public health leaders target prevention and treatment resources where they’re needed most. This dashboard uses predictive modeling and Census data to map substance use vulnerability across Iowa with the goal of reducing or preventing substance use disorders in these …

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An Ethnographic Assessment of Drug Use among Iowa Families report cover

An Ethnographic Assessment of Drug Use among Iowa Families

As part of the Public Science Collaborative’s substance use work, PSC sought to strengthen the Iowa Department of Public Health’s (IDPH) surveillance of substance use in Iowa, with particular attention to intergenerational impacts, through the deployment of an ethnographic assessment of active and former substance users. The goal of these activities is to help IDPH …

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