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VRN: Opiate use, landslides, equity, new books and more

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Opioid Use Disorder
Rural areas are especially prone to both Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and intimate partner violence (IPV). New research examines these issues through interviews with 33 rural Vermont women experiencing both IPV and opioid use. Findings grouped into several categories, including; geographic isolation and transportation difficulties, inaccessibility of existing substance use treatment and domestic violence services and social isolation and stigma in rural areas. The researchers suggest that it is essential to improve access to care and increase collaboration between IPV and OUD service providers.

Seed Production in Vermont
The Consortium for Crop Genetic Heritage recently surveyed seed producers. The researchers found producers ranked economic characteristics and planting material as very important. Almost 40% of respondents reported that they sold hybrid seeds. While most seed producers did not experience current production problems, climate change will bring new challenges, the research found. The survey also gathered info about climate change adaption, self-sufficiency and resilience.

Climate Change & Landslides
UVM’s Department of Geology examined the history of landslides on Riverside Avenue in Burlington examining how runoff, hydrogeology and superficial geology affect the stability of slopes along this Avenue. Solutions will require natural ecosystem restoration and de-urbanization.

Town Meeting Turnout
New research from UVM’s Center for Research on Vermont examined attendance at the public information town meeting meetings held this March, comparing it to attendance in previous years. Student researchers watched videos of 50 public information meetings, counting attendance, participation and looking for the most spirited debates and conversations. The researchers found a 56% drop in attendance between 2019 town meetings and 2021 public information meetings. At the same time voting by Australian ballot increased 39%. Although less people attended, more than 45% of the people in the public information meetings had something to say during the course of the meeting. See also stories in VT Digger and VPR.

The Fleming Museum’s Greatest Hits

The Fleming Museum of art at UVM is currently only open to UVM faculty, staff, and students, but that does not mean you cannot see some of the best art it has to offer. The Fleming From Home Website has compiled a collection of some of the greatest exhibits and programs featured at the museum, including the most recent exhibit on Wood Gaylor and American Modernism. In this five-part video series, Exhibition Curator Andrea Rosen and Curator of Education Alice Boone discuss this early 20th century artist’s contribution to the New York art scene.

Quantifying Injury Rates
Non-fatal injury trends in agriculture, forestry, and fishing have proved difficult to quantify, especially in the rural areas. A recent study in Vermont, New York, and Massachusetts looked at hospitalization statistics in these states and used the information provided to determine definite and likely cases of work-related injuries in these fields. Cross-referencing these statistics with the International Classification of Diseases, allows researchers to better determine trends in these industries and determine the demographic variables necessary to target appropriate groups for public health interventions.

Measuring Food Access from a Transportation Perspective

In Vermont, roads are especially important for food access because many do not live within walking distance of a grocery store. Unfortunately, Vermont is also known for occasional extreme weather during the winter months, which can lead to road closures. A recent study mapped out household locations in Chittenden County alongside retail grocery store locations, to determine routes people are most likely to take in an emergency. Based on this work, researchers identified key travel corridors related to accessing food. Route 7 in Colchester was one particularly important road for linking Vermonters to grocery stores.

COVID-19 Impacts on BIPOC Vermonters
A recent study from the Vermont Department of Health suggests the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting BIPOC Vermonters at a higher rate than white non-Hispanic Vermonters. BIPOC represent 18% of COVID-19 cases in Vermont, despite only representing 6% of Vermont’s population. The study suggests BIPOC’s high representation in frontline essential work as one potential explanation.
Achieving Equity
In his new book, Equal is Equal, Fair is Fair: Vermont’s Quest for Equity in Education Funding, Same-Sex Marriage, and Health Care, Allen Gilbert, the former executive director of the Vermont chapter of the ACLU tells the story of how Vermont has managed to achieve positive change in the areas of education and LGBTQ+ rights, and continues to strive toward a universal health care system. Buy the book here.

Diapers & Food Insecurity

For many households, food insecurity remains an issue, despite government programs such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Correlated with food insecurity, according to a new study, is diaper need. For many families living in poverty, diapers are expensive, and there are currently no government programs which subsidize diaper purchases. Failure to obtain enough diapers can lead to adverse consequences for infant health, such as diaper dermatitis and urinary tract infections. Vermonters who suffer from food insecurity are forced to go into credit card debt or take money from their food budget to fund diaper purchases the study found.

Vermont Legislative Research Service
Student Researchers in UVM's Vermont Legislative Research Service recently completed a round of reports for the Vermont Legislature. The policy reports completed and available on the VLRS website include reports on the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions; The Impact of Casinos; Statute of Limitations on Debt; Alternative Wastewater Systems and Civics Education. Legislators can submit requests directly at the VLRS site or contact VLRS directly.

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The Vermont Research News is a bi-monthly curated collection of Vermont research -- focused on research in the Vermont "laboratory" -- research that provides original knowledge to the world and research that adds to an understanding of the state's social, economic, cultural and physical environment. Thanks to support from the Office of Engagement at UVM.
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