State level opioid work

State efforts to reduce Rx opioid casualties, 2008.

Questions for you to answer:

Where are we now?

Report been updated?

What is the current set of public health components in this specific area: "evidence-based guidelines for prescribers;  effective policy and programmatic tools"?

https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/pdf/rxreport_web-a.pdf

Bullet point quotations:

• Most states recognize prescription drug overdoses as a growing issue, although some states only recently became aware of its magnitude locally. Most states became aware of the problem through mortality data.

  States rely heavily on measures such as interagency task forces and prescription monitoring programs to address the problem. Less common are educational and regulatory initiatives. 

  States cited lack of awareness of the problem, insufficient data, privacy and confidentiality concerns, and lack of state-based injury prevention capacity as barriers to implementing a response.

  States cited the need to increase the visibility of the prescription overdose problem.

  States need evidence-based guidelines for prescribers and effective policy and programmatic tools. Although many states have implemented responses, their effectiveness is unclear.