Opioids Archives - Medication Safety Made Simple

The cost of opioid use disorder and the value of aversion

The objective of this study was twofold. First, to update and estimate the economic burden of opioid use disorder (OUD) to the U.S. from the perspectives of the healthcare sector, taxpayer, and society, overall and by age. Second, to estimate the mean present value of averting an OUD, overall and by age, for use in economic evaluations of prevention-focused interventions.

More than two-thirds of Americans don’t know how to properly dispose medications, new research reveals

Commissioned by Covanta and conducted by OnePoll in advance of the next National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in April, the study found nearly two-thirds (63%) of those surveyed dispose of old medications at home. For 59% of people, throwing old medications in the trash is an expedient way to dispose of old or expired medications, without giving much thought as to whether or not they will end up in a landfill. Likewise, 58% believe it’s fine to flush medications down the toilet or sink., where it can pollute water sources. To compound the issue, three out of four of those who dispose of medications in these ways do so despite knowing the potential environmental damage these methods pose to ground water and other water systems.

Results from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH): Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States

Read key findings from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) on substance use, mental health, and treatment by age group. Metrics in the report cover the civilian, noninstitutionalized US population ages 12 and older. Unlike other NSDUH Annual National Reports, the 2020 report has no comparisons to the previous year, because changes in survey methodology mean the indicators are not comparable to past NSDUH estimates.

How People Obtain the Prescription Pain Relievers They Misuse

Conducted annually, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) provides nationally representative data on the use of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs; substance use disorders; mental health issues; and receipt of substance use and mental health treatment among the civilian, noninstitutionalized population aged 12 or older in the United States. NSDUH estimates allow researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the general public to better understand and improve the nation’s behavioral health. These reports and detailed tables present estimates from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).

Prescription opioid use and misuse among adolescents and young adults in the United States: A national survey study

Results from this study suggest that the prevalence of prescription opioid use among adolescents and young adults in the US is high despite known risks for future opioid and other drug use disorders. Reported prescription opioid misuse is common among adolescents and young adults and often associated with additional substance abuse, underscoring the importance of drug and alcohol screening programs in this population. Prevention and treatment efforts should take into account that greater than half of youths misusing prescription opioids obtain these medications through friends and relatives.

Behavioral Intervention and Disposal of Leftover Opioids: A Randomized Trial

Providing a disposal method nudged parents to dispose of their children’s leftover opioids promptly after use, whereas STOMP boosted prompt disposal and reduced planned retention. Such strategies can reduce the presence of risky leftover medications in the home and decrease the risks posed to children and adolescents.

The Economic Toll of the Opioid Crisis Reached Nearly $1.5 Trillion in 2020

As a result of the pandemic, the U.S. health care system was disrupted, reducing access to substance abuse treatment and exacerbating social and economic stress that can worsen addiction. This contributed to a significant increase in the number of Americans diagnosed with opioid use disorder and in the number of fatal opioid overdoses.

Medication-Assisted Treatment and Opioid Use Before and After Overdose in Pennsylvania

For every fatal opioid overdose, there are approximately 30 nonfatal overdoses. Nonfatal overdoses that receive medical attention represent intervention opportunities for clinicians to mitigate risk by reducing opioid prescribing or advocating addiction treatment. Studies evaluating commercially insured patients suggest these potential interventions are underutilized. For example, a 2000-2012 study1 reported high rates of opioid prescribing for patients even after they had sustained a nonfatal opioid overdose. Another study of patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) showed low rates of buprenorphine treatment after hospitalization for overdose. However, little is known about how opioid prescribing and medication-assisted treatment (MAT) changes from before to after overdose among Medicaid enrollees, who have a 3-times higher risk of opioid overdose. We used data from a large Medicaid program to compare (1) prescription opioid use, (2) duration of opioid use, and (3) rates of MAT (buprenorphine, methadone, or naltrexone) among enrollees before and after an overdose event.

Barriers and motivational factors for engaging in novel opioid and medication disposal-related services in community pharmacies

Providing an at-home disposal product is a viable method of encouraging proper disposal of unused opioids. The combined cost of the disposal packet plus the instructional flyer was $1.90 per patient. Additional efforts are being undertaken to evaluate whether follow-up reminder calls at 2 weeks can be simplified to be included in the postoperative follow-up call to increase parent/guardian adherence.