Opioid overdose: Patients’ knowledge of and ability to manage the life-threatening crisis

Abstract

Purpose: Increasing naloxone access for opioid users has become a nationwide initiative. Naloxone can be a lifesaving medication, yet it is essential that patients understand when and how to use it and can communicate this to others. Most information about people’s knowledge of opioid overdose management comes from populations of illicit drug users. Additionally, there is little data demonstrating the efficacy of overdose education provided by pharmacists. The purpose of this study is to determine patients’ baseline knowledge, immediate recall, and long-term retention of opioid overdose management after receiving education from pharmacy personnel in a pain and palliative care clinic. Methods: Patients deemed high risk for opioid overdose will be prescribed naloxone and receive overdose management education from a pharmacist during a clinic visit in Tarrant County, TX. Before the education, demographic data will be collected and patients will complete a 10-question assessment on opioid overdose. Six of the 10 questions evaluate patients’ knowledge on overdose risk factors and management. The remaining four questions also assess knowledge regarding overdose, but may provide insight into patients’ perception of and confidence to manage opioid overdose. Additionally, patients will be evaluated on their knowledge of the prescribed naloxone device. Patients will be taught how to use the device, and a checklist will be utilized to evaluate the patient’s understanding via teach-back. Following the encounter, patients will complete the 10-question assessment again to measure immediate knowledge retention of overdose management. At the patient’s next follow-up visit (within 1-3 months), patients will complete the assessment and perform teach-back to evaluate long-term knowledge retention. ANOVA will be used to analyze scores on the knowledge assessment, and a paired t-test will be utilized to analyze device checklist scores. Descriptive statistics will be used for secondary analysis of specific questions and steps on the device checklists. Results: N/A Conclusions: N/A