“Opioid overdose deaths continue to rise, driven by increases in fatalities from illicit opioids like heroin and street fentanyl, CDC researchers said. There were 33,091 opioid-related deaths in 2015, up from 28,647 the previous year, Rose Rudd, MSPH, of the CDC, and colleagues reported in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. While deaths related to natural and … [Read more...] about Opioid Deaths Up, Illicit Fentanyl to Blame – Deaths From Synthetic Opioids Spiked 72% In One Year
2016
Why Opioid Users Don’t Always Get Treatment in the Hospital
“While medical staff necessarily must focus on addressing these acute medical needs, the underlying cause can go untreated. A new study from Oregon Health & Science University researchers, published last week in the Journal for General Internal Medicine, seeks to humanize the problem and get at the root causes. There are a variety of reasons why these patients often … [Read more...] about Why Opioid Users Don’t Always Get Treatment in the Hospital
The Opioid Addiction Epidemic Grows in the Workplace
“Substance abuse spans from alcohol to prescription meds to non-prescription meds. So, I spoke with Julie Stich, associate vice president of content at the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, about how companies can address substance abuse in their workforce. The foundation recently conducted a survey of 344 organizations in the U.S. and Canada on the topic of … [Read more...] about The Opioid Addiction Epidemic Grows in the Workplace
NEJM Reports on Study Of Waitlisted Opioid-Dependent Adults
“In rural states like Vermont, opioid-dependent adults desperate for treatment often find themselves stuck on a wait list, sometimes for eight months or more, increasing their risk of continuing to use illicit opioids, contract an infectious disease, overdose and prematurely die. However, this problem isn't limited to Vermont -- a full 96 percent of states in the U.S. have … [Read more...] about NEJM Reports on Study Of Waitlisted Opioid-Dependent Adults
The Washington Post/Kaiser Survey: 1 in 3 Long-Term Prescription Painkiller Users Think They’re Addicted or Dependent
“As the nation struggles with an ongoing epidemic of prescription painkiller abuse, misuse, and overdoses, a new Washington Post/Kaiser Family Foundation survey finds that one in three (34%) of those who recently used such drugs for at least two months report being addicted or dependent. Featured in Sunday’s The Washington Post, the new survey examines the views and … [Read more...] about The Washington Post/Kaiser Survey: 1 in 3 Long-Term Prescription Painkiller Users Think They’re Addicted or Dependent
