The Opioid Epidemic: A Review of the Contributing Factors, Negative Consequences, and Best Practices

The opioid epidemic is a significant public health crisis that has caused extensive harm and devastation in the United States. This literature review aimed to identify the contributing factors and negative consequences of the epidemic, as well as best practices for healthcare providers in managing t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) CA), 2023-07, Vol.15 (7), p.e41621-e41621
Main Authors: Judd, Dallin, King, Connor R, Galke, Curtis
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Drug abuse
Drug addiction
Epidemiology
Epidemiology/Public Health
Family/General Practice
Mortality
Narcotics
Pain management
Patient satisfaction
Prescription drugs
Substance Use and Addiction
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Summary:The opioid epidemic is a significant public health crisis that has caused extensive harm and devastation in the United States. This literature review aimed to identify the contributing factors and negative consequences of the epidemic, as well as best practices for healthcare providers in managing the epidemic. Overprescribing opiates and opioids, lack of education and opportunity, and being unmarried or divorced were some of the identified contributing factors to dependence on opioids. The epidemic's negative consequences are substantial, leading to increased access to opioids for vulnerable populations, which consequently cause accidental death among men and the degradation of rural community health services. As part of the literature review, we also analyzed the best practices for healthcare providers, including implementing prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs). However, we found that while PDMPs resulted in a decrease in opioid overprescription and an increase in provider confidence when prescribing medication, the evidence for their effectiveness in improving rural community health services or reducing opioid overdoses and opioid-related deaths was inconclusive. Our review highlights that the greatest challenge to overcome is a lack of legal mandates and proper education for healthcare providers on best practices for addressing the epidemic. To regulate and control opioids effectively, tracking and standardizing prescription models by federal agencies and medical institutions is necessary but not enough. Legal action is vital for the successful containment of the opioid crisis.
ISSN:2168-8184
2168-8184
DOI:10.7759/cureus.41621