Opioid Overdose - Prevention

Prevention

Although opioid overdose accounts for the second leading cause of accidental death, after car collisions, it can be prevented and often in primary care settings. Providers should routinely screen patients using tools such as the CADE-AID and the Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10) to screen adults and the CRAFT to screen adolescents aged 14-18 years. Other “drug seeking” behaviors as well as physical indications of drug use should be used as clues to perform formal screenings. Individuals diagnosed with opioid dependence should be prescribed naloxone to prevent overdose and/or should be directed to one of the many intervention/treatment options available, such as needle exchange programs and treatment centers. Brief motivational interviewing can also be performed by the clinician during patient visits and has been shown to improve patient motivation to change their behavior. Despite these opportunities, the dissemination of prevention interventions in the US has been hampered by the lack of coordination and sluggish federal government response.