A Shared Approach to Preventing Opioid Overdoses

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unique challenges to most Americans, but the pressures experienced by some people who use drugs have been particularly severe. Provisional data indicate that opioid overdoses have increased during the pandemic, but preventing overdose is possible. There are specific actions that we can take to save lives.

Spot the signs of overdose and learn how to respond

It can be difficult to tell if a person has taken opioids or is experiencing an overdose. The signs of an overdose include:

  • Small, constricted “pinpoint pupils”
  • Falling asleep or loss of consciousness
  • Slow, shallow breathing
  • Choking or gurgling sounds
  • Limp body
  • Cold, clammy, and or discolored skin

When in doubt, treat the situation like an overdose. Act fast, and you could save the person’s life.  Here’s what you should do if you think that a person has overdosed:

  1. Call 911 immediately.
  2. Give naloxone, if available.
  3. Try to keep the person awake and breathing.
  4. Lay the person on their side to prevent choking.
  5. Stay with the person until emergency workers arrive.

Learn about naloxone

Naloxone is a life-saving drug that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose when given in time.(1) Naloxone can easily be injected into the thigh or given as a spray into the nose to save a life during an overdose. It can be given by anyone, even if they have no training for this kind of emergency.(2)

In most states, you can get naloxone without a prescription from your local pharmacist. Pharmacists and other healthcare providers can help improve access to and expand the use of naloxone.(3) If you or a family member is at increased risk of opioid overdose, talk to your doctor about prescribing naloxone.

Have open and honest discussions

Substance use disorder doesn’t discriminate. Anyone can be affected no matter who they are or where they live. There’s nothing wrong with suggesting that friends or family members talk to their doctor about all pain management options.

If you have friends or family members who struggle with opioid use disorder, have open and honest discussions with them about opioids and treatment options.

Talk to them about naloxone, encourage them to ask a doctor about medications for opioid use disorder, and share treatment and recovery resources with them. Resources include the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline (1-800-662-HELP) and the SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator.

CDC’s role

CDC’s role in the overdose epidemic is to:

  • Improve patient safety.
  • Educate the public about the risk of opioid misuse.
  • Help states implement effective overdose prevention strategies.
  • Work with public safety departments to improve collaboration between public health and safety.
  • Collect and analyze data on opioid overdose to better tailor prevention efforts.

The best ways to prevent opioid overdose deaths are to improve opioid prescribing, prevent misuse, reverse an overdose, and treat opioid use disorder. Learn more about overdose prevention and how you can help lower the risks of opioid overdose in your community.

Resources

References

  1. https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/prevention/reverse-od.html
  2. https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a616003.html
  3. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/information-about-naloxone

 

Thanks in advance for your questions and comments on this Public Health Matters post. Please note that the CDC does not give personal medical advice. If you are concerned you have a disease or condition, talk to your doctor.

Have a question for CDC? CDC-INFO (http://www.cdc.gov/cdc-info/index.html) offers live agents by phone and email to help you find the latest, reliable, and science-based health information on more than 750 health topics.

A Shared Approach to Preventing Opioid Overdoses

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unique challenges to most Americans, but the pressures experienced by some people who use drugs have been particularly severe. Provisional data indicate that opioid overdoses have increased during the pandemic, but preventing overdose is possible. There are specific actions that we can take to save lives.

Spot the signs of overdose and learn how to respond

It can be difficult to tell if a person has taken opioids or is experiencing an overdose. The signs of an overdose include:

  • Small, constricted “pinpoint pupils”
  • Falling asleep or loss of consciousness
  • Slow, shallow breathing
  • Choking or gurgling sounds
  • Limp body
  • Cold, clammy, and or discolored skin

When in doubt, treat the situation like an overdose. Act fast, and you could save the person’s life.  Here’s what you should do if you think that a person has overdosed:

  1. Call 911 immediately.
  2. Give naloxone, if available.
  3. Try to keep the person awake and breathing.
  4. Lay the person on their side to prevent choking.
  5. Stay with the person until emergency workers arrive.

Learn about naloxone

Naloxone is a life-saving drug that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose when given in time.(1) Naloxone can easily be injected into the thigh or given as a spray into the nose to save a life during an overdose. It can be given by anyone, even if they have no training for this kind of emergency.(2)

In most states, you can get naloxone without a prescription from your local pharmacist. Pharmacists and other healthcare providers can help improve access to and expand the use of naloxone.(3) If you or a family member is at increased risk of opioid overdose, talk to your doctor about prescribing naloxone.

Have open and honest discussions

Substance use disorder doesn’t discriminate. Anyone can be affected no matter who they are or where they live. There’s nothing wrong with suggesting that friends or family members talk to their doctor about all pain management options.

If you have friends or family members who struggle with opioid use disorder, have open and honest discussions with them about opioids and treatment options.

Talk to them about naloxone, encourage them to ask a doctor about medications for opioid use disorder, and share treatment and recovery resources with them. Resources include the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline (1-800-662-HELP) and the SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator.

CDC’s role

CDC’s role in the overdose epidemic is to:

  • Improve patient safety.
  • Educate the public about the risk of opioid misuse.
  • Help states implement effective overdose prevention strategies.
  • Work with public safety departments to improve collaboration between public health and safety.
  • Collect and analyze data on opioid overdose to better tailor prevention efforts.

The best ways to prevent opioid overdose deaths are to improve opioid prescribing, prevent misuse, reverse an overdose, and treat opioid use disorder. Learn more about overdose prevention and how you can help lower the risks of opioid overdose in your community.

Resources

References

  1. https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/prevention/reverse-od.html
  2. https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a616003.html
  3. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/information-about-naloxone

 

Thanks in advance for your questions and comments on this Public Health Matters post. Please note that the CDC does not give personal medical advice. If you are concerned you have a disease or condition, talk to your doctor.

Have a question for CDC? CDC-INFO (http://www.cdc.gov/cdc-info/index.html) offers live agents by phone and email to help you find the latest, reliable, and science-based health information on more than 750 health topics.

New Lab Matters: Time to welcome the next generation of public health laboratory scientists

New Lab Matters: Time to welcome the next generation of public health laboratory scientists | www.APHLblog.org

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 12,000 new laboratory professionals are needed each year to meet consumer demand. At the same time, while automation has eliminated some less-skilled laboratory jobs, the growing sophistication of public health laboratory analyses has generated demand for scientists with highly specialized training. As our feature article shows, laboratories are recruiting new talent for the “hidden profession” by taking a hard look into what they really want, and how they want to work.

Here are just a few of this issue’s highlights:

Subscribe and get Lab Matters delivered to your inbox, or read Lab Matters on your mobile device.

The post New Lab Matters: Time to welcome the next generation of public health laboratory scientists appeared first on APHL Lab Blog.

Kentucky Takes a Novel Approach to Fight the Opioid Crisis

A pile of prescription medicine bottles.

The opioid overdose epidemic is a public health emergency. The state of Kentucky has the third highest rate of drug overdose in the country. The FindHelpNowKY.org website bridges a gap between Kentucky residents and timely access to substance use treatment facilities and services. It provides near real-time available openings at local area substance use disorder (SUD) facilities.

Tailoring treatment optionsUsing an innovative approach. Kentucky teens will take the lead in advertising FindHelpNowKY.org. Using federal funding, the team is running a challenge for high school students to produce campaign advertisements to promote the website and raise awareness about the risks of drug use. The top student-produced print, broadcast, billboard, and radio ads will be incorporated into the "Don't Let Them Die--Find Help Now KY" campaign.

You can use over 30 different search criteria on the website to find the right SUD treatment facility for your needs. These criteria include accepted insurance, gender identity, facility type (inpatient and outpatient treatment facilities etc.), and co-occurring treatment for mental health disorders. Over 500 SUD treatment facilities appear on the website who update their opening availability daily to facilitate rapid matching of individual treatment need with available treatment. The easy to use design of the FindHelpNowKY.org landing page helps high-priority populations, like adolescents and pregnant women, find treatment options and availability.

Providing FindHelpNowKY.org to Those in Need

FindHelpNowKY.org is running a promotional campaign during the summer of 2018 to:

  1. Raise awareness of the site as a valuable resource to quickly locate SUD treatment facilities with available openings. TV spots, radio ads, billboards, and digital media ads will run to reach primary audiences.
  2. Drive website traffic and use by:
    1. family and friends of individuals with SUDs, and individuals with SUDs (primary audiences); and
    2. health care providers including primary care providers and first responders (secondary audiences). The website is being promoted at physician association meetings, and physician pocket cards with SUD resources, including FindHelpNowKY.org will be distributed
  3. Inform the public about SUD educational information available on FindHelpNowKYorg.

Measuring progress

Kentucky assessed the need for the FindHelpNowKy.org website based on a physician focus group, Office of Drug Control Policy (ODCP) input, and community mental health centers’ feedback. These stakeholders helped identify the need for this website and the need for more timely access to SUD treatment. Metrics to measure success will include website analytics, surveys of SUD treatment providers, and average search time

FindHelpNowKY.org has had over 100,000 page views and over 26,000 unique searches from February 1, 2018- August 7, 2018.. Approximately 40% of website visits originated from social media, google searches, and referrals from other websites. Most users spent an average of 7.5 minutes on the website, suggesting that they were reading and engaged with the content. Visitors also ran 2-3 searches during their visits, indicating that they conducted unique searches based on differing search criteria.

Common searches also included seeking long-term residential or outpatient treatment facilities that accept Medicaid or Medicare. The FindHelpNow domain is being obtained by Kentucky so that interested states can use the FindHelpNow website platform with their respective state facility data in it.

Learn more

  • If you or a loved one requires assistance or information on SUD treatment and prevention topics contact the statewide hotline number 1-833-8KY-HELP
  • Kentucky Drug Overdose Prevention Program (http://www.mc.uky.edu/kiprc/programs/kdopp.html)
  • Don’t Let Them Die, The Governor of Kentucky’s communication campaign that seeks to raise awareness of the dangers of opioid use

We want to hear from you!

Leave a comment below about what your state is doing to combat the opioid overdose epidemic. This was developed by the Kentucky Drug Overdose Prevention Program at the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center, at the University of Kentucky’s College of Public Health as bona fide agent for the Kentucky Department for Public Health. The project was a collaboration between the office of Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin, Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, and Justice and Public Safety Cabinet.

Funding for the website came from the CDC National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. FindHelpNowKY.org was supported by Cooperative Agreement Number, 5 NU17CE002732-03, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Department of Health and Human Services.

Preventing Prescription Opioid Overdoses in New York State

A pile of prescription medicine bottles.

Like many states, New York is suffering from the consequences of the opioid overdose epidemic. There has been a dramatic increase in the number of overdoses due to both prescription and illicit drug use in recent years. Overdoses are killing people of all races and ages. The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) is coordinating statewide prevention interventions to save lives and prevent opioid overdoses.

Adapting the RxAwareness Campaign for New York State

Tamera's Rx Awarness story
The Rx Awareness campaign videos tell the real stories of people whose lives have been negatively impacted by prescription opioid use and abuse.

The NYSDOH’s Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention Program is using the CDC RxAwareness Campaign. The campaign ran from February 2018 to June 2018. This is an evidence-driven prescription opioid overdose prevention campaign that tells the real stories of people whose lives have been torn apart by opioid use and abuse.  The campaign aims to:

  • Increase everyone’s awareness that opioids can be addictive and dangerous
  • Increase the number of individuals that choose options other than opioids for safe and effective pain management
  • Decrease the number of individuals who use opioids for non-medical or recreational reasons

NYSDOH is using six 30-second testimonial video ads and five 30-second radio ads featuring people and families affected by prescription opioid abuse and overdose. This campaign includes Facebook ads, popular website display banners, streaming audio, and Google Search ads. Web banner ads and online search ads designed and audience tested by CDC were also used.

Real-time Monitoring Makes a Difference

The beauty of digital marketing is that it allows for real-time monitoring and optimization. The NYSDOH monitored two key metrics from the campaign every week:

  1. Click-through rates (CTR): the ratio of people who clicked on an ad compared to the total number of people who viewed the ad.
  2. Cost-per-click (CPC): the price that is paid for each click on the ad.

Continuously assessing the performance of individual ads allowed NYSDOH to swap out lower performing ads for higher performing ads. For example, mobile placements were showing strong performance, so more of the budget was allocated towards these placements and the budget for lower performing ads was reduced. High performance ads have greater reach, which leads to greater impact and increases the likelihood that the campaign will achieve its goals.

Evaluation Findings Help NY Maximize their Ad Budget

NYSDOH learned several things through real-time monitoring and evaluation:

  • Overall, women are spending nearly twice as long as men on the DOH campaign website, www.health.ny.gov/rxawareness
  • Adults 35 to 54 years old have a stronger click-through rate than the adults who are 35 to 54 years old and parents of teenagers
  • Banners on one weather site currently have the highest click-through rates and have resulted in the longest average time spent on the landing page
  • The click-through rates of online search ads increased consistently from May – June 2018
  • Public commenting on ads help NYSDOH understand how the campaign is being accepted

The NYSDOH continues to evaluate activity in this campaign. NYSDOH will utilize these findings in future campaigns.

Learn more:

This communication campaign was supported by the Cooperative Agreement Number, 5 NU17CE002742-03, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Department of Health and Human Services.

We want to hear from you!

Leave a comment below and share how you are monitoring and evaluating your digital campaigns.

The Communication Research and Evaluation blog series highlights innovative research and evaluation methods used at CDC to improve behavior change campaigns. In the coming months we will look at other examples.

Raising Awareness to Prevent Prescription Opioid Overdoses

A jumble of orange prescription pill bottles with white labels and lids.

In 2016, 115 Americans died every day from an opioid overdose – that is more than 42,000 drug overdose deaths that involved an opioid including prescription opioids, heroin, and/or illicitly manufactured fentanyl. Prescription opioids (like hydrocodone, oxycodone, and morphine) are prescribed by doctors to treat moderate to severe pain, but have serious risks and side effects.Using prescription opioids can have a number of side effects, even when taken as directed: • Tolerance—meaning you might need to take more of the medication for the same pain relief • Physical dependence—meaning you have symptoms of withdrawal when the medication is stopped • Increased sensitivity to pain • Constipation • Nausea, vomiting, and dry mouth • Sleepiness and dizziness • Confusion • Depression • Low levels of testosterone that can result in lower sex drive, energy, and strength • Itching and sweating

Anyone who takes prescription opioids can become addicted to them. Families across the county are dealing with the health, emotional, and economic effects of the opioid epidemic. The opioid overdose epidemic is a public health emergency and Americans of all races and ages are being killed by opioid overdoses.

Rx Awareness campaign tackles prescription opioids

Rx Awareness is CDC’s latest effort in the fight against the opioid overdose epidemic. Rx Awareness aims to:

  1. Increase Americans’ awareness and knowledge about the risks of prescription opioids, and
  2. Prevent inappropriate use of prescription opioids.

Rx Awareness uses the tagline, “It only takes a little to lose a lot” to educate the public about dangers of prescription opioids, including misuse, abuse, and overdose. The campaign features real-life accounts from people recovering from opioid use disorder and from people who have lost loved ones to prescription opioid overdose.

Public awareness campaigns, like Rx Awareness, are important in the fight against opioids. The more equipped people are with information and resources about the risks of opioids, the more we can support those affected by this epidemic. The cornerstone of Rx Awareness is a series of testimonial videos, and the campaign also includes radio advertisements, digital advertisements, billboards, posters, newspaper advertisements, and a website.

States are on the frontlines of the opioid overdose epidemic

CDC created the Rx Awareness campaign for states, coalitions, and communities to implement across the country. When the campaign was launched in 2017 it included an implementation guide to support CDC-funded states to use the campaign materials. State and local health departments and community organizations can take part in the Rx Awareness campaign and use the tested campaign materials and resources to launch local campaigns, support local prevention activities, and raise awareness about the risks of prescription opioids.

States are critical in preventing opioid overdoses. Through the Overdose Prevention in States (OPIS) effort, CDC is working with 45 states and Washington D.C. to provide scientific expertise, enhanced surveillance activities, and support resources to prevent risks of opioid use disorder, overdose, and death. The resources and information from this effort help combat prescription and illicit opioid abuse and overdose and is the heart of the CDC’s work on this epidemic.

Everyone can help stop opioid overdoses

The best ways to prevent opioid overdose are to: (1) improve opioid prescribing practices, (2) reduce exposure to opioids, (3) prevent misuse, and (4) treat opioid use disorder. Anyone can take action to help end the opioid overdose epidemic. You have a role in preventing opioid-related overdoses.

You can take steps to reduce your risk for prescription opioid misuse and help prevent opioid overdose deaths in your community:

  • Learn more about prescription opioids so you can help those at risk for opioid use disorder and overdose in your community.
  • Practice responsible use if you are prescribed opioids for pain and work with your doctor to ensure you are getting the safest, most effective pain management possible.
  • Help those struggling with addiction find the right care and treatment. Anyone who takes prescription opioids can become addicted and help is available if you or someone you know is battling opioid use disorder.
  • Spread the word and increase awareness in your community about the risk and dangers of prescription opioids. By sharing campaign materials you can broaden the reach of the message that, “It only takes a little to lose a lot.”
  • Know the signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose to help prevent opioid overdose death. If you suspect someone is overdosing, it is important that you don’t leave the person alone and that you call 911.

Learn more

We want to hear from you!

Comment below if you have you noticed the Rx Awareness campaign in your community.

Rural America in Crisis: The Changing Opioid Overdose Epidemic

The scenery aerial view of Poconos, Monroe County, Pennsylvania, USA.

In America, 15 out of 100 people live in a rural area.  I loved growing up in a rural community, where there were actually no stop lights, everyone knew their neighbors, and doors were always open. But, my years of working in public health has taught me rural areas are not that different from urban areas when it comes to the devastating impact of the opioid epidemic.

The rate of drug overdose deaths in rural areas has surpassed rates in urban areas, and it is a huge public health concern. Understanding how rural areas are different when it comes to drug use and drug overdose deaths, including opioids, can help public health professionals identify, monitor, and prioritize their response to this epidemic.

One Epidemic – Three Waves

Drug overdoses in the United States have now surpassed other leading causes of death like AIDS or motor vehicle crashes, even when they were at their peak.

The opioid overdose epidemic has come in three waves:Rural: Areas with low population, where there is a lot of space between residences. Urban: Refers to areas like cities, with high population and population density.

  1. Increases in deaths involving prescription opioids starting in 1999
  2. Increases in heroin-involved deaths starting in 2010
  3. Since 2013, we have seen more deaths involving synthetic opioids like illicitly manufactured fentanyl.

CDC is tracking how these waves of overdose deaths are affecting rural versus urban areas of the country to help states and public health departments identify, monitor, and prioritize customized prevention responses.

Rural Communities at Risk

Death rates for unintentional injuries like drug overdoses, falls, and motor vehicle crashes are around 50% higher in rural areas than in urban areas. In general, people who live in rural areas of the United States tend to be older, poorer, and sicker than those living in urban areas. Differences in socio-economic factors, health behaviors, and access to health care services contribute to these differences. From 1999 to 2015, the opioid death rates in rural areas have quadrupled among those 18-25 years old and tripled for females.

Preventing Overdose Deaths in Rural America

Overdose deaths can be prevented through improved public health programs. We can start addressing the opioid overdose epidemic and save lives by:

  • Understanding the differences in burden and context of drug use, drug use disorders, and fatal overdose, and identifying how to tailor prevention efforts to local situations between rural and urban areas.
  • Teaching healthcare providers about safer opioid prescribing practices and how to treat patients with opioid use disorder (addiction).
  • Considering non-opioid pain treatment options, like exercise and physical therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, or more effective pain medicines (like acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen). Some of these options may actually work better and have fewer risks and side effects than opioids.
  • Supporting training and access to naloxone, a medication that can quickly stop an opioid overdose, for high-risk individuals, families, emergency responders, and law enforcement.
  • Increasing access to treatment for opioid use disorder (addiction) through medication-assisted treatment or comprehensive services to reduce infections from injection drug use, like HIV or Hepatitis C.
  • Working with public safety to share data, scale up evidence-based strategies, and decrease the illicit drug supply.

The landscape of drug overdoses in America is changing and affects everyone, no matter where they live. As the epidemic continues to evolve and change, we must understand the circumstances that contribute to opioid deaths and remain vigilant to prevent overdoses in our communities. The more we understand about this drug epidemic, the better prepared we all will be to stop it in its tracks and save lives.

Learn more