Engaging the Community in Assessment and Decision Making: Prescription Drug Overdose
In today’s world, many people are dying in the United States because of prescription drug overdoses. “Every 19 minutes, someone in the United States dies from an unintentional prescription drug overdose. One major contributing factor to the rise in such deaths is the increased use of opioid analgesics” (APHA, 2015). What is alarming is that even though these prescriptions were given for a medical reason, they ended up in the hands of people who abused them (CDC, 2013). Morbidity and mortality rates associated with prescription drugs are a vital public health matter, but the prices inflicted on the US economy are also significant. “A 2011 study estimated that, …show more content…
The success of any program depends on how well a community is engaged in the program. It is very important that stakeholders be involved in the prescription drug overdose awareness and reduction program from the very beginning of the program. This will help build credibility and trust with the community and help develop champions for the project. It is very important to engage the diversity of individuals in the community and tailor program keeping in mind the cultural beliefs, and diversity of the population. Community engagement should continue to be an imperative part of the project even when bricks and mortar are in place. Educational strategies need to be directed to the health care providers and the general public. Health care providers must be educated on recognition and treatment of pain, alternative treatments, mental illness assessments and substance abuse screenings. Raising awareness in the community is considered as a significant strategy for tackling prescription opioid misuse. “Assuring that public education initiatives are appropriately targeted, informed by evidence and rigorously evaluated is critically important to assuring that investments are well placed and effective” (Alexander, Frattaroli & Gielen., …show more content…
S., and Gielen, A.C.(2015). The Prescription Opioid Epidemic: An Evidence-Based Approach. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,Johns Hopkins Center for Drug Safety and Effectiveness,and Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy. Retrieved from http://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/center-for-drug-safety-and-effectiveness/opioid-epidemic-town-hall-2015/2015-prescription-opioid-epidemic-report.pdf
American Public Health Association. (APHA). (2016). Prevention and Intervention Strategies to Decrease Misuse of Prescription Pain Medication. Retrieved from http://www.apha.org/policies-and-advocacy/public-health-policy-statements/policy-database/2015/12/08/15/11/prevention-and-intervention-strategies-to-decrease-misuse-of-prescription-pain-medication
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2013 drug overdose mortality data announced. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2015/p0114-drug-overdose.html.
Twillman R. K, Kirch. R, and Gilson. A.(2014). Efforts to control prescription drug abuse: why clinicians should be concerned and take action as essential advocates for rational policy. CA Cancer J Clin;
In today’s world, many people are dying in the United States because of prescription drug overdoses. “Every 19 minutes, someone in the United States dies from an unintentional prescription drug overdose. One major contributing factor to the rise in such deaths is the increased use of opioid analgesics” (APHA, 2015). What is alarming is that even though these prescriptions were given for a medical reason, they ended up in the hands of people who abused them (CDC, 2013). Morbidity and mortality rates associated with prescription drugs are a vital public health matter, but the prices inflicted on the US economy are also significant. “A 2011 study estimated that, …show more content…
The success of any program depends on how well a community is engaged in the program. It is very important that stakeholders be involved in the prescription drug overdose awareness and reduction program from the very beginning of the program. This will help build credibility and trust with the community and help develop champions for the project. It is very important to engage the diversity of individuals in the community and tailor program keeping in mind the cultural beliefs, and diversity of the population. Community engagement should continue to be an imperative part of the project even when bricks and mortar are in place. Educational strategies need to be directed to the health care providers and the general public. Health care providers must be educated on recognition and treatment of pain, alternative treatments, mental illness assessments and substance abuse screenings. Raising awareness in the community is considered as a significant strategy for tackling prescription opioid misuse. “Assuring that public education initiatives are appropriately targeted, informed by evidence and rigorously evaluated is critically important to assuring that investments are well placed and effective” (Alexander, Frattaroli & Gielen., …show more content…
S., and Gielen, A.C.(2015). The Prescription Opioid Epidemic: An Evidence-Based Approach. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,Johns Hopkins Center for Drug Safety and Effectiveness,and Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy. Retrieved from http://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/center-for-drug-safety-and-effectiveness/opioid-epidemic-town-hall-2015/2015-prescription-opioid-epidemic-report.pdf
American Public Health Association. (APHA). (2016). Prevention and Intervention Strategies to Decrease Misuse of Prescription Pain Medication. Retrieved from http://www.apha.org/policies-and-advocacy/public-health-policy-statements/policy-database/2015/12/08/15/11/prevention-and-intervention-strategies-to-decrease-misuse-of-prescription-pain-medication
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2013 drug overdose mortality data announced. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2015/p0114-drug-overdose.html.
Twillman R. K, Kirch. R, and Gilson. A.(2014). Efforts to control prescription drug abuse: why clinicians should be concerned and take action as essential advocates for rational policy. CA Cancer J Clin;