Implementation of a Medication Safety Awareness Campaign
Implementation of a Medication Safety Awareness Campaign Helen C. Pervanas, PharmD and Margaret Clifford, BS Pharm Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences-Manchester New Hampshire Board of Pharmacy
BACKGROUND Prescription drug abuse is a growing nationwide epidemic affecting even the smaller rural states like New Hampshire. Prescription drug abuse can lead to addiction, accidental overdose and death. 1,2 Drug related deaths in NH have been on the rise since 2004, doubling over the last eight years and have exceeded traffic related deaths.3 Additionally, over 20% of NH high school students reported taking at least one prescription drug without a doctor’s order during their life.4 The assumption that prescription drugs are safer than illicit drugs because they require a doctor’s order is a common misconception among teens and adults.5 In response to these concerns the NH Governor’s office has released: Call to Action: Responding to New Hampshire’s Drug Abuse Epidemic of which the NH Board of Pharmacy is a contributor.6
RESULTS
CONCLUSION
Medication Safety Awareness Campaign Components Community presentations with the following talking points: Proper storage and disposal of medications Teen safety and abuse of prescription and over-the-counter medications Poster on medication safety for display at health related events. See figure 1. Assistance with the DEA National Take Back Event Assembled and distributed kitty litter bags and information on proper medication disposal to consumers. See figure 2. Created eLearning scenarios eLearning scenarios created by student pharmacists to be used in a web based interactive program developed by CATS and funded by the American Medical Association Foundation. The interactive program offers the user challenges, choices and consequences specific to the scenario. Description of an adult and teen scenario is found in table 1. Figure 1. Table Top Display on Medication Safety
Figure 2. DEA National Take Back Event
OBJECTIVES •Identify the dangers associated with the misuse of prescription and Over-the-Counter medications. •Identify educational strategies to promote medication safety and awareness in the community. •Discuss the collaborative efforts between the NH Board of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy and local organizations to enhance community outreach.
METHODS Table 1. eLearning Scenarios Student pharmacists from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) in collaboration with the NH Board of Pharmacy and the Community Alliance for Teen Safety (CATS) created a medication safety campaign. The campaign focused on increasing awareness about prescription drug abuse and encouraged safe medication practices in the community.
Scenario
Audience
Content
Challenges
Abuse of stimulant medications
Teens
•Misuse/abuse of stimulant medication
•Whether to take the stimulant
•Abuse •Addiction •Adverse events
Dangers of dextromethorphan
Adults
•Dextromethorphan dangers and abuse
•Proper storage and dosing
•Abuse •Addiction •Adverse events
In support of the Governor’s “Call to Action” initiative the NH Board of Pharmacy in collaboration with the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and the Community Alliance for Teen Safety organization promoted the use of safe medication practices using several educational methods to disseminate the information. A key factor in addressing the prescription drug epidemic is educating teens and adults about the dangers of taking prescription medications for non-medical use. Community pharmacists and student pharmacists can play an active role in getting the message out to consumers.
REFERENCES 1. Manchikanti L. National drug control policy and prescription drug abuse: facts and fallacies. Pain Physician 2007; 10:399-424. 2. Vital signs: Unintentional injury deaths among persons ages 0-10 years-United States 2000-2009. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly. Rep. April 16, 2012/61 (early release) :1-7. 3. Thomas A, Chief Medical Examiner, NH Department of Safety. Interview with NH Center for Excellence, Spring 2011. 4. NH 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Results, http://www.education.nh.gov/instruction/school_health/hiv_data.htm. Accessed April 23, 2012. 5. National Institute on Drug Abuse. NIDA Research Report: Prescription Drugs: Abuse and Addiction. (http://www.drugabuse.gov/ Research Reports/Prescription/Prescription.html). NIH Publication No. 05-4881. Bethesda, MD: NIDA, NIH, DHHS. Printed July 2001. Revised August 2005. Accessed April 24, 2012. 6. NH Governor’s Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention, Intervention and Treatment recently released CALL TO ACTION: Responding to New Hampshire’s Drug Abuse Epidemic (http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dcbcs/bdas/documents/calltoactionnh.pdf.) Accessed April 23, 2012.
Consequences
ACKNOWLEGEMENTS •Thank you to student pharmacists; Rana Almadany, An Bui, Chelsea Duhaime, Nabila Newaz, Thao Tran and Joann Whang. •Thank you to Paula Galvin M.Ed., Assistant Director, CATS for her assistance and guidance with this project.
DISCLOSURE The authors have nothing to disclose.
BACKGROUND Prescription drug abuse is a growing nationwide epidemic affecting even the smaller rural states like New Hampshire. Prescription drug abuse can lead to addiction, accidental overdose and death. 1,2 Drug related deaths in NH have been on the rise since 2004, doubling over the last eight years and have exceeded traffic related deaths.3 Additionally, over 20% of NH high school students reported taking at least one prescription drug without a doctor’s order during their life.4 The assumption that prescription drugs are safer than illicit drugs because they require a doctor’s order is a common misconception among teens and adults.5 In response to these concerns the NH Governor’s office has released: Call to Action: Responding to New Hampshire’s Drug Abuse Epidemic of which the NH Board of Pharmacy is a contributor.6
RESULTS
CONCLUSION
Medication Safety Awareness Campaign Components Community presentations with the following talking points: Proper storage and disposal of medications Teen safety and abuse of prescription and over-the-counter medications Poster on medication safety for display at health related events. See figure 1. Assistance with the DEA National Take Back Event Assembled and distributed kitty litter bags and information on proper medication disposal to consumers. See figure 2. Created eLearning scenarios eLearning scenarios created by student pharmacists to be used in a web based interactive program developed by CATS and funded by the American Medical Association Foundation. The interactive program offers the user challenges, choices and consequences specific to the scenario. Description of an adult and teen scenario is found in table 1. Figure 1. Table Top Display on Medication Safety
Figure 2. DEA National Take Back Event
OBJECTIVES •Identify the dangers associated with the misuse of prescription and Over-the-Counter medications. •Identify educational strategies to promote medication safety and awareness in the community. •Discuss the collaborative efforts between the NH Board of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy and local organizations to enhance community outreach.
METHODS Table 1. eLearning Scenarios Student pharmacists from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) in collaboration with the NH Board of Pharmacy and the Community Alliance for Teen Safety (CATS) created a medication safety campaign. The campaign focused on increasing awareness about prescription drug abuse and encouraged safe medication practices in the community.
Scenario
Audience
Content
Challenges
Abuse of stimulant medications
Teens
•Misuse/abuse of stimulant medication
•Whether to take the stimulant
•Abuse •Addiction •Adverse events
Dangers of dextromethorphan
Adults
•Dextromethorphan dangers and abuse
•Proper storage and dosing
•Abuse •Addiction •Adverse events
In support of the Governor’s “Call to Action” initiative the NH Board of Pharmacy in collaboration with the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and the Community Alliance for Teen Safety organization promoted the use of safe medication practices using several educational methods to disseminate the information. A key factor in addressing the prescription drug epidemic is educating teens and adults about the dangers of taking prescription medications for non-medical use. Community pharmacists and student pharmacists can play an active role in getting the message out to consumers.
REFERENCES 1. Manchikanti L. National drug control policy and prescription drug abuse: facts and fallacies. Pain Physician 2007; 10:399-424. 2. Vital signs: Unintentional injury deaths among persons ages 0-10 years-United States 2000-2009. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly. Rep. April 16, 2012/61 (early release) :1-7. 3. Thomas A, Chief Medical Examiner, NH Department of Safety. Interview with NH Center for Excellence, Spring 2011. 4. NH 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Results, http://www.education.nh.gov/instruction/school_health/hiv_data.htm. Accessed April 23, 2012. 5. National Institute on Drug Abuse. NIDA Research Report: Prescription Drugs: Abuse and Addiction. (http://www.drugabuse.gov/ Research Reports/Prescription/Prescription.html). NIH Publication No. 05-4881. Bethesda, MD: NIDA, NIH, DHHS. Printed July 2001. Revised August 2005. Accessed April 24, 2012. 6. NH Governor’s Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention, Intervention and Treatment recently released CALL TO ACTION: Responding to New Hampshire’s Drug Abuse Epidemic (http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dcbcs/bdas/documents/calltoactionnh.pdf.) Accessed April 23, 2012.
Consequences
ACKNOWLEGEMENTS •Thank you to student pharmacists; Rana Almadany, An Bui, Chelsea Duhaime, Nabila Newaz, Thao Tran and Joann Whang. •Thank you to Paula Galvin M.Ed., Assistant Director, CATS for her assistance and guidance with this project.
DISCLOSURE The authors have nothing to disclose.
