The Prescription Opioid and Heroin Crisis

A Public Health Approach to an Epidemic of Addiction

Dados Bibliográficos

ID23371995
AutoresAndrew Kolodny (Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454), David T Courtwright (0000-0002-3865-2261, University of North Florida), Catherine S Hwang (0009-0004-0185-3256, Center for Drug Safety and Effectiveness,), Peter Kreiner (Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454), John L Eadie (Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454), Thomas W Clark (0000-0001-6088-669X, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02454), G Caleb Alexander (0000-0002-5622-2986, Center for Drug Safety and Effectiveness,)
Ano2015
Volume36
Fascículo1
Páginas559-574
Data de publicação2015-03-18
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoAnnual Review of Public Health (BOOK_SERIES)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0163-7525 • E-ISSN: 1545-2093
EditoraAnnual Reviews (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1146/annurev-publhealth-031914-122957
PMID25581144
OpenAlexW2151383246
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas149
Referências citadas60

Public health authorities have described, with growing alarm, an unprecedented increase in morbidity and mortality associated with use of opioid pain relievers (OPRs). Efforts to address the opioid crisis have focused mainly on reducing nonmedical OPR use. Too often overlooked, however, is the need for preventing and treating opioid addiction, which occurs in both medical and nonmedical OPR users. Overprescribing of OPRs has led to a sharp increase in the prevalence of opioid addiction, which in turn has been associated with a rise in overdose deaths and heroin use. A multifaceted public health approach that utilizes primary, secondary, and tertiary opioid addiction prevention strategies is required to effectively reduce opioid-related morbidity and mortality. We describe the scope of this public health crisis, its historical context, contributing factors, and lines of evidence indicating the role of addiction in exacerbating morbidity and mortality, and we provide a framework for interventions to address the epidemic of opioid addiction.

Addiction · Context (archaeology) · Drug · Geography · Heroin · Medical prescription · Opioid · Opioid overdose · Psychiatry · Psychological intervention · Public health · Cardiac Arrest and Resuscitation · Internal Medicine · Medicine · Nursing · Opioid Use Disorder Treatment · Pain Management and Opioid Use