Stockton University, 101 Vera King Farris Drive, Galloway, NJ 08205-9441, USA. Tel 609-652-4465, fax 609-652-4858.
J Allied Health. 2021 Fall;50(3):229-233.
A key element in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's plan to address the opioid epidemic is to strengthen evidence-based community prevention efforts. Prevention agencies seeking to educate community members on safe use of opioids and to reduce harm from misuse can strategically plan their educational interventions by first assessing current knowledge. To this end, a local university in New Jersey conducted a study to assess opioid awareness in the county served by a regional substance abuse prevention agency.
Attendees at community events volunteered to participate in an opioid awareness survey. The survey investigated knowledge about use of opioids, risks of misuse, and practices which have been implemented to reduce harm associated with opioid use.
Surveyed community members (n=159) were well informed about the risks of opioid misuse and addiction. However, knowledge about the medical indications for use of opioids and about the use and accessibility of naloxone to reduce harm from opioid misuse was not as well established.
Educational efforts should focus on increasing knowledge about appropriate medical indications for use of opioids. In addition, more widespread publicization of the use and accessibility of naloxone will increase community awareness of this harm reduction practice.
疾病控制与预防中心解决阿片类药物泛滥问题计划的一个关键要素是加强基于证据的社区预防工作。寻求向社区成员宣传阿片类药物安全使用知识并减少滥用造成的伤害的预防机构，可以通过首先评估当前的知识水平，有策略地规划他们的教育干预措施。为此，新泽西州的一所地方大学对一个地区药物滥用预防机构服务的县的阿片类药物意识进行了一项研究。
社区活动的参与者自愿参加阿片类药物意识调查。该调查研究了关于阿片类药物使用、误用风险以及为减少与阿片类药物使用相关的伤害而实施的实践的知识。
接受调查的社区成员（n=159）对阿片类药物误用和成瘾的风险有很好的了解。然而，关于阿片类药物使用的医学指征以及纳洛酮的使用和可及性以减少阿片类药物误用造成的伤害的知识则没有那么完善。
教育工作应侧重于增加对阿片类药物适当医学指征使用的了解。此外，更广泛地宣传纳洛酮的使用和可及性将提高社区对这种减少伤害做法的认识。
