Visualize the Opioid Crisis in Appalachia

A team from Ohio University, with funding from the Ohio Department of Medicaid, developed this virtual reality simulation. Using VR technology, viewers will meet Destiny, a 23-year-old woman from Appalachia who is pregnant and battling opioid addiction. With a lack of support at home, she needs the help of providers to assist and empower her through her pregnancy.

The opioid crisis has significantly impacted the people of Appalachia, including pregnant women. The rate of women addicted to opioids during pregnancy has quadrupled in 15 years, and in 2017, 5,047 mothers in Ohio were addicted to illegal drugs at the time of delivery. The videos ask viewers to confront their biases, call attention to social determinants of health, and increase empathy in those working amid the opioid crisis in Ohio. 
Limit: 55