List date(s) this work was published or aired.
26-Aug-12
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
As part of six-installment series on prescription drug addiction in Kentucky, Medical Writer Laura Ungar examined the exploding problem of babies born suffering from drug withdrawal because of their mothers’ addictions. Hospitalizations for Kentucky babies born addicted to drugs — primarily prescription pills — rose 2,400 percent in just over a decade, from 29 in 2000 to 730 in 2011.The stories not only detailed the numbers but also showed the human impact — babies who cry almost non-stop, sucking desperately on pacifiers to soothe themselves as they suffer through painful drug withdrawal. The stories also examined the difficulties pregnant addicts have in getting the help they need.
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
These stories used epidemiological data from the state of Kentucky on hospitalizations for infants undergoing drug withdrawal, national medical studies on the subject and state budget data regarding treatment.
Explain types of human sources used.
These stories involved dozens of interviews with pregnant and new mothers, doctors, drug treatment providers, epidemiologists, addiction and neonatal experts and government officials. Given the short time frame for the stories — under a month for most of the reporting, writing and editing — finding new mothers of affected infants proved extremely challenging.
Results:
The Courier-Journal’s stories have stirred statewide and national interest, and swift reaction. The day after the stories on addicted babies ran, Ungar appeared on CNN to talk about the problem, and was also interviewed on the statewide PBS affiliate and Louisville’s NPR affiliate. She was invited to give a presentation on the stories to a Kentucky legislative oversight committee implementing a prescription drug abuse law the paper’s previous stories had helped inspire — a meeting also attended by dozens drug treatment professionals. She also spoke at on Indiana conference that drew hundreds of educators, counselors, drug control officials and others. The Kentucky Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office offered to send the stories to courts, jails and other places; an Appalachian anti-drug organization called Operation UNITE sent the stories to its local and national contacts; and the Kentucky Hospital Association sent it to hospitals where deliveries take place and medical professionals in the obstetrics field. An official at Louisville’s main children’s hospital told the newspaper they had so many inquiries from people wanting to volunteer with addicted babies that they had to turn potential volunteers away.
Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.
None.
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
Fostering good relationships with local hospitals and substance abuse treatment providers is essential for finding real people to illustrate such stories in a timely fashion. Also, be sure to put shocking statistics like these in context. In this case, Kentucky’s infant hospitalization figures were many times higher than comparable national figures.