The United States recorded an estimated 69,973 drug overdose deaths in 2025, according to provisional figures released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in May 2026. Although the estimate represented a decline of almost 14% from 2024, the scale of overdose mortality continues to raise questions about prevention, healthcare access and economic participation. The CDC also estimated 44,564 overdose deaths involving opioids in 2025.
Healthcare access and family circumstances present further questions for public investment. A 2026 National Association of Community Health Centers fact sheet reported 4,446 school-based health center sites nationwide in 2024, serving nearly 9.8 million children. Separately, U.S. Census Bureau data showed that in 2023, 68% of children aged 12 to 17 lived with two parents, compared with 75% of children younger than six. These figures describe household living arrangements, not the effects of marital dissolution.
Against this national backdrop, economist Deborah Idowu Akinwolemiwa is examining three related questions in her doctoral research. Her program comprises three chapters in all: the effects of naloxone prescription mandate laws on naloxone utilization and labor force outcomes; the effects of school-based health centers on educational outcomes; and parenting stress and health behaviors in mothers following marital dissolution, including child outcomes. The research investigates policy and household relationships rather than presuming particular findings.
Ms. Akinwolemiwa earned a master’s degree in Economics from the University of Ibadan and a first-class bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Ilorin, where she was named best graduating student in her department. Her academic experience includes teaching at Crown-Hill University and research assistance at the University of Ibadan. Her curriculum vitae also records doctoral study at Wayne State University in Detroit.
Among her co-authored publications is the 2023 review “Digital Transformation and Economic Development: A Review of Emerging Technologies’ Impact on National Economies.” Another study examines green taxation and renewable energy investment in the United States. These publications review policy questions rather than establish that their recommendations have been adopted.
In this proposed interview, Ms. Akinwolemiwa discusses the U.S. challenges motivating her three doctoral chapters, the role of rigorous economic evaluation, and the links between individual well-being and national economic performance.
Interviewer: CDC estimates indicate nearly 70,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2025, even after a substantial annual decline. At the same time, school-based health centers serve millions of children, and Census data reveal differences in children’s living arrangements by age. Why examine these national issues together through economics?
Ms. Akinwolemiwa: “My doctoral research consists of three chapters in total, each examining different relationships between health, economic participation and individual well-being. The first concerns naloxone prescription mandate laws and their effects on medication utilization and labor force outcomes. The second examines school-based health centers and educational outcomes. The third investigates parenting stress and health behaviors among mothers following marital dissolution, including implications for children. The common theme is the importance of understanding how health-related policies and circumstances influence economic and social outcomes. Economics provides methods for evaluating these relationships. Rather than assuming an intervention is effective because its objective is important, researchers need to examine whether the available evidence supports the intended outcomes. My interest is in producing research that contributes to those evaluations and helps clarify the consequences of public policy decisions.”
Interviewer: The CDC estimated 44,564 opioid-involved overdose deaths in 2025. What specific policy question does your chapter on naloxone prescription mandate laws seek to answer, and how do you distinguish medication access from labor market effects?
Ms. Akinwolemiwa: “Opioid-related overdoses represent a serious public health concern, and naloxone is an important medication used to reverse opioid overdoses. Prescription mandate laws seek to influence access to naloxone through requirements placed on prescribing practices. These policies raise questions about whether legal requirements change medication utilization and whether associated effects extend beyond the healthcare system. My research examines naloxone utilization alongside labor force outcomes because health problems influence people’s ability to participate in economic activity. An important question is whether the policies being examined produce measurable differences in utilization and employment-related outcomes. These are empirical questions. Researchers must account for differences in policy implementation and other factors influencing the populations under study.”
Interviewer: Why examine employment outcomes in research involving overdose prevention?
Ms. Akinwolemiwa: “Health and employment are closely connected. Individuals experiencing serious health problems face potential difficulties maintaining employment, obtaining work and sustaining economic security. From an economic perspective, public health interventions warrant evaluation through both their immediate objectives and their possible wider consequences. Examining labor force outcomes alongside naloxone utilization provides an opportunity to investigate whether changes in health policy are associated with changes in economic participation. An important methodological challenge is distinguishing policy effects from other influences on employment. Labor market conditions, demographic characteristics and broader economic changes all require consideration. My research seeks to contribute to this evidence rather than assume that changes in prescribing requirements automatically produce improvements in labor force participation.”
Interviewer: What would make your findings useful to policymakers outside the state or community being studied?
Ms. Akinwolemiwa: “The broader value of policy research depends partly on whether the findings help explain mechanisms relevant to other settings. Prescription mandate laws provide an opportunity to examine how legal requirements influence healthcare-related behavior and economic outcomes. If a study identifies reliable relationships, policymakers in other jurisdictions might examine whether similar conditions exist in their states. At the same time, differences in healthcare systems, implementation practices and population characteristics must be considered before applying findings elsewhere. The objective should be to develop evidence that contributes to wider policy evaluation while clearly identifying the limitations of the research.”
Interviewer: Your second doctoral chapter examines school-based health centers. What motivated this research direction?
Ms. Akinwolemiwa: “Education and health are important components of human capital development. Students experiencing health problems might face difficulties with attendance, concentration and participation in school activities. Access to appropriate healthcare therefore raises questions about educational outcomes. My second chapter examines the effects of school-based health centers on educational outcomes. These centers provide an opportunity to investigate whether healthcare services located within educational institutions influence students’ academic experiences. The research addresses an important question for public investment: whether interventions intended to improve access to healthcare are associated with measurable educational benefits.”
Interviewer: How does this subject relate to educational inequality?
Ms. Akinwolemiwa: “Students experience different barriers to healthcare. Household income, transportation, insurance arrangements and the availability of local providers influence access to services. These differences are relevant when examining interventions intended to improve healthcare availability within schools. An important question is whether school-based health centers produce different outcomes across student populations. Research examining those differences helps policymakers understand whether interventions are associated with improvements in educational access and performance. Educational inequality involves several factors, so healthcare provision should be evaluated as one component of a broader set of circumstances influencing student achievement.”
Interviewer: What economic benefits might result from improvements in educational outcomes?
Ms. Akinwolemiwa: “Education influences the development of knowledge and skills that support future economic participation. Improved educational outcomes are associated with important long-term economic considerations, including workforce preparation and opportunities for employment. Yet researchers need to distinguish these broader relationships from the effects of a particular intervention. If a school-based healthcare program is associated with improved educational outcomes, further research would be needed to understand the mechanisms and longer-term implications. That distinction matters because policymakers must evaluate whether an investment produces benefits sufficient to justify its costs. My research contributes to examining the educational dimension of healthcare access.”
Interviewer: Your third doctoral chapter addresses parenting stress following marital dissolution. Why examine this issue through health economics?
Ms. Akinwolemiwa: “Household circumstances influence the allocation of time, income and resources. Marital dissolution involves changes in family organization that raise questions about parental well-being and children’s experiences. My third chapter examines parenting stress and health behaviors among mothers following marital dissolution, including implications for child outcomes. The research considers relationships between family circumstances, maternal well-being and children’s welfare. These issues are relevant to health economics because individual behavior and household decisions are influenced by constraints and available resources. The objective is to investigate these relationships carefully without assuming that every family experiences marital dissolution in the same way.”
Interviewer: Why is the distinction between correlation and causation particularly important in this research?
Ms. Akinwolemiwa: “Family circumstances are influenced by numerous factors. Income, employment, social support, prior health conditions and household relationships might affect both parental stress and child outcomes. An observed relationship between marital dissolution and a particular outcome does not automatically establish that one caused the other. Researchers must consider these influences when interpreting evidence. This is especially important when research concerns families and children because inaccurate conclusions risk producing misleading policy recommendations. Good economic research should explain what the evidence establishes, what uncertainties exist and where additional investigation is required.”
Interviewer: How might your three doctoral chapters contribute to public policy discussions in the United States?
Ms. Akinwolemiwa: “Each chapter addresses a policy question with potential relevance beyond a single institution. The naloxone study examines prescribing requirements, medication utilization and labor force outcomes. The school-based health center study examines the relationship between healthcare provision and educational outcomes. The third study examines family circumstances, maternal health behaviors and child outcomes. These questions concern public health, human capital and household welfare. My objective is to contribute evidence that researchers and policymakers might use when assessing interventions in these areas. The value of the research will depend on the strength of its methods, the reliability of its findings and the extent to which those findings inform wider discussions.”
Interviewer: Your earlier research focused on digital transformation. How does that work connect with your current interests?
Ms. Akinwolemiwa: “My research on digital transformation examined how emerging technologies influence national economies. The 2023 study reviewed the implications of technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing and digital platforms for economic development. One important consideration was that the economic effects of technology differ according to infrastructure, institutional capacity and workforce readiness. Those issues connect with health economics because public interventions also operate within institutional and economic constraints. Whether a government introduces a digital platform or expands healthcare services, the effectiveness of the intervention depends on implementation, access and the surrounding conditions. My work across these subjects reflects an interest in evaluating economic outcomes rather than relying solely on the stated objectives of policies.”
Interviewer: What did your research on green taxation and renewable energy investment contribute to the discussion about U.S. economic growth?
Ms. Akinwolemiwa: “Our research examined the relationship between environmental taxation, renewable energy investment and sustainable economic growth in the United States. Environmental taxation influences incentives by assigning economic costs to certain activities. Renewable energy investment seeks to support alternative energy technologies and infrastructure. Both raise questions about business costs, public investment and long-term economic performance. The research considered how policy design influences the relationship between environmental objectives and economic development. One important issue is the need to evaluate trade-offs. Environmental policies should be examined through their effects on investment, energy affordability, resource use and economic welfare. These questions require evidence because policy outcomes differ across industries and economic conditions.”
Interviewer: You have experience in both teaching and academic research. How has this prepared you for doctoral-level work?
Ms. Akinwolemiwa: “My academic experience has provided opportunities to examine economic questions from different perspectives. Teaching economics requires explaining theories, assumptions and applications. Research requires evaluating evidence and identifying limitations. My experience as an assistant lecturer at Crown-Hill University and a graduate research assistant at the University of Ibadan contributed to my academic development. My earlier education in business administration and economics also provided a foundation for examining organizational decisions and wider economic issues. These experiences inform how I approach research questions, particularly those involving policy decisions and measurable outcomes.”
Interviewer: How do you distinguish your own research contribution from the work of your co-authors?
Ms. Akinwolemiwa: “Collaborative research brings together researchers with different knowledge and perspectives. Authorship reflects participation in scholarly work, but understanding an individual’s contribution requires examining the specific responsibilities undertaken in a project. My publications cover economic development, technology and environmental policy, while my doctoral chapters address specific questions in applied health economics. I believe researchers should describe their individual contributions accurately, including their roles in developing research questions, conducting analysis and preparing manuscripts. Transparency about those responsibilities is important for academic credibility.”
Interviewer: What should policymakers consider before adopting research recommendations?
Ms. Akinwolemiwa: “Policymakers should examine the quality of the evidence and whether the findings apply to the population or institution concerned. A policy might produce favorable outcomes in one setting but face different implementation challenges elsewhere. Cost, accessibility, administrative capacity and unintended consequences also deserve attention. Researchers have a responsibility to distinguish established findings from hypotheses and to communicate uncertainty clearly. Evidence-based policy requires more than identifying an important problem. It requires evaluating whether the proposed response addresses that problem effectively.”
Interviewer: What research direction do you hope to pursue in the coming years?
Ms. Akinwolemiwa: “I am interested in continuing research involving health economics, public policy and economic opportunity. The relationships between healthcare access, educational outcomes, labor market participation and household welfare raise questions that deserve sustained empirical investigation. My doctoral chapters provide a foundation for examining these issues through specific research questions. I would like my future work to contribute to scholarly discussions and support the evaluation of policies affecting individuals and communities. An important objective is to produce research whose methods and findings are transparent enough for other researchers to examine, challenge and build upon.”
Interviewer: What message would you give to policymakers seeking to improve economic outcomes through health and education programs?
Ms. Akinwolemiwa: “I would encourage policymakers to focus on measurable outcomes and careful evaluation. Healthcare and education are important areas of public investment, but the effectiveness of particular interventions should be established through evidence. Programs need clear objectives, appropriate implementation and reliable measures of performance. Researchers should also examine whether benefits differ across populations and whether the outcomes justify the resources committed. My interest in economics is rooted in understanding how these decisions influence welfare and opportunity. Sound policy requires credible evidence, an understanding of economic constraints and a willingness to revise approaches when findings indicate that improvements are needed.”
Ms. Akinwolemiwa’s academic work connects questions about national economic development with research into healthcare access, educational opportunity and household welfare.
Her published studies address the economic implications of technological and environmental change, while her doctoral research examines specific policy questions involving American workers, students and families.
The extent to which those studies influence policy will depend on their findings, dissemination and subsequent use by researchers or decision-makers. For Ms. Akinwolemiwa, the continuing focus is on producing economic research that contributes to understanding the consequences of public interventions.
