Resources for the Opioid Abuse Epidemic

Posted by Jacqueline Leskovec on May 10th, 2017 Posted in: News from NIH/NLM, Public Health

This from the Disaster Information Management Research Center Division of Specialized Information Services. Thanks, Robin!

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have declared opioid abuse an epidemic, calling it a serious public health issue. Two states, Florida and Maryland, have recently declared states of emergency in response to the opioid crisis.

NIH MedlinePlus magazine has an overview to help readers understand the opioid overdose epidemic, and the statistics are staggering: an estimated 1.9 million people in the US have a prescription opioid use disorder, while another 586,000 have a heroin use disorder. In 2014 alone, more than 28,000 people died from an opioid overdose.

The Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) has collected resources about the opioid epidemic, including resources for health professionals and law enforcement.

Issues that face first responders and first receivers include appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), treatment for overdoses, and coping with stress. The National Library of Medicine provides access to resources for responders, health professionals, and the general public:

• For first responders and healthcare professionals: Find links to detailed drug information about opioids on Drug Information Portal, and information about Naloxone. Also check the Chemical Hazards Emergency Medical Management (CHEMM) database for important information about Naloxone for first responders.
• For the general public: Learn about opioid abuse and addiction, prescription drug abuse, and heroin, including prevention, diagnosis, and treatment options. Learn more about Naloxone injection, an emergency medical treatment to reverse the effects of opiate overdoses. Family and friends can be negatively affected by a loved one’s opioid use disorder—find resources for coping with traumatic events on the NLM Disaster Health information guide to Coping With Disasters.
• Multiple languages: Information about opioid abuse and addiction is available in Spanish from MedlinePlus. HealthReach provides a handout in nine languages called What is Addiction? Text and video versions of Safe, Smart and Healthy – Keys to Success in Your New Home: Substance Use and Abuse are available in 16 languages.

And don’t forget the Disaster Lit® database. We have guidelines for preventing occupational exposure to fentanyl and treatment of PTSD with co-occurring opioid use disorder, as well as several other opioid-related resources.

Submitted by Robin Taylor
Contractor, ICF
Disaster Information Management Research Center
Division of Specialized Information Services
National Library of Medicine
6707 Democracy Blvd, Suite 440
Bethesda, MD 20892
https://disasterinfo.nlm.nih.gov/

ABOUT Jacqueline Leskovec
Jacqueline Leskovec, MLIS, MA, RN (she/her) is the Network Specialist for NNLM Region 6. She is the lead for the Partner Outreach Program (POP), Network membership and user accounts, the Data Reporting System (DRS), and the Region 6 website. She has been with the Network since 2005. In addition to being a health sciences librarian, Jacqueline maintains her license as a registered nurse. She works from her home office in Chicago. She is well acquainted with power tools and will be happy to bore you with details of her many home repair and remodel adventures.

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