Explore a social determinant issue in your community that may be impacting quality of life or health care. Take a picture of this issue as it may be represented on a billboard, or like Dr. Riley, a bus stop. Upload that picture into the discussion.
Healthcare industry is faced with multiple healthcare challenges globally. Opioid dependence and abuse is one of the alarming progressive social determinants issue that is impacting quality of life and healthcare delivery in the society. Opioid abuse related cases have impacted individuals, families, communities, and the society. In the United States, opioid overdose related mortality was approximately 46, 802 out of the total 67,367 death that occurred in 2016. In Maryland state, about 90% mortality involved opioid overdose was a total of 2,087 recorded in 2018 (Center for Disease Control [CDC] and Prevention 2021; National Institute of Drug Abuse [NIDA], 2020).
Share your perspective about the social determinant issue with your class colleagues defining what role you might play in changing this social determinant in your community.
Opioid addiction has a negative impact on patients, their respective families, healthcare professionals, the economy, and health care system at both the National and Local levels. Opioid is the leading cause of death among college aged students. The incidence of deaths related to opioid addiction/abuse is about 3.3 million worldwide Its the highest incidence among males leading to dysfunctional family systems (Rudd et al. 2016). Overall, the estimated healthcare cost related to opioid addiction is approximately $78.5 million in 2016 (Renstrom et al., 2017; Douglas et al., 2019). The rate of Opioid abuse burden in the society is frightening. As a Doctor of Nurse Practice (DNP) scholars, I have a significant role to play to change the impact of opioid addiction in my community. To prevent further increase of opioid related death, it is important to create an awareness and education for the target population about the impact of opioid to health, community, and society. Educate patients about cessation programs and provide resources to support during cessation. Healthcare providers should be properly trained on how to manage opioid patients without the fear of stigma. Government should establish policies that will prevent illegal manufacturing of opioids and synthetic opioids. Healthcare providers should be very cautious when prescribing opioid for pain management, the medical reason for prescribing opioid must be legitimated and justifiable before prescribing opioid. Healthcare providers should use alternative therapy in managing and treating chronic pain. Government should provide support to families in form of small business loam to enhance financial stability to prevent them from indulging to illegal use of opioid (Renstrom et al. 2017; Rudd et al.,2016).
Compose a 140-character Tweet that describes what you have shared with the class. Remember Twitter only allows 140 characters so you will need to be concise. Share this Tweet in the discussion.
#Create Opioid Awareness Programs. Together Opioid Burden Can Eliminated. Opioid addiction is Harmful & Expensive. Opioid dependence is Treatable%
References
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2016). Prescription opioid overdose data.
Douglas, L. L., Djibril, M.B., Edeanya- Agbese, Xueyi X., Goudong L. (2019). The economic burden of the opioid epidemic on states: The Case of Medicaid. (25) 13.
NIDA. (2020). Maryland: Opioid-Involved Deaths and Related Harms. state/maryland-opioid-involved-deaths-related-harms.
Renstrom, M., Ferri, M., & Mandil, A. (2017). Substance use prevention: Evidence-based intervention. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 23(3), 199-204.
Rudd, R.A., Seith P., David, F. & Scholl, L. (2016). Increase in drug and opioid-involved overdose death-united states, 2010-2016. MMWR Morb Wkly Rep. 2016:65.144-1452. http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm655051e1.
