Facts

Opioids may help manage pain when taken as prescribed for a short amount of time, but have serious risks.

Regular use often leads to physical dependence. Withdrawal symptoms may occur if use is suddenly reduced or stopped.  Risk of dependency occurs when medications are taken at higher than recommended doses, combined with alcohol or other drugs, or taken without a prescription. About 1 in 4 people receiving long-term opioid therapy in a primary care setting struggles with dependency.

Opioids include drugs like heroin, and prescription medications used to treat pain.  Common opioids include: Oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet, Percodan, Tylox), Fentanyl, Hydrocodone (Lortab, Vicodin, Lorcet, Tussionex), Demerol, Dilaudid, Morphine (Kadian, Avinza, Oramorph, Dolphine), Codeine (Tylenol w/Codeine, Phenaphen w/ Codeine, Promethazine w/ codeine), Tramadol, Ultram, Methadone, Suboxone (Talwin, Buprenorphine), Darvon, Darvocet, and ZohydroER

If you and your doctor are considering opioids, weigh the risk of dependency and overdose against expected benefits. Ask your healthcare professional about alternatives.

Mid-Shore OMPP Survey Data

The Mid-Shore OMPP Leadership Team created and distributed 3 survey’s in the last two quarters of 2023 to gain a better understanding of the communities’ current stance on concepts related to opioid (mis)use such as, (1) Access to Treatment, (2) Opioid Medication Storage Disposal, and (3) Talking with a Provider. Survey results are as follows:

Survey 1: “Access to Treatment”

This survey assessed the prevention efforts to increase the ability of Mid-Shore Counties’ residents to access treatment for the misuse of opioids. In addition, the survey sought to collect the perceptions of a broad range of community residents about barriers to such treatment and who/what agencies would they turn to for assistance in accessing treatment.

Survey data shows that:

• About 20% of respondents had ever sought treatment for themselves and slightly more than 32% for a family member. We can conclude from these responses that opioid use is a widespread issue: One in five people ever sought treatment for themselves; nearly one in three ever sought it for a family member.

• For those who might seek such treatment in the future there were three salient barriers: cost, not knowing how to begin, and embarrassment about needing treatment.

Survey 2: “Opioid Medication Storage and Disposal”

This survey assessed the Mid-Shore residents’ knowledge about proper drug storage of opioid prescription medications and knowledge about the location of drop boxes for disposal of such medications.

Survey data shows that:

• While 40% of respondents seem to know about and use drop boxes, a large percent of those who don’t use them—26%—note that they don’t know where they are. A smaller percentage aren’t aware of their existence.

• Nearly 50% of respondents note that they definitively dispose of unused drugs in non-optimal ways such as via Cat Litter/Coffee Grounds, Flush, and Put in Trash/Garbage.

• 21.9% of respondents note that they save unused drugs.

Survey 3: “Talking with a Provider”

This survey assessed Mid-Shore residents’ experience and willingness to discuss the risks of and alternatives to opioid medications.

Survey data shows that:

• 75.3% of respondents indicate that they, a family member, or their child have ever been prescribed an opioid.

• Nearly 60% of respondents noted that their provider did discuss risks. Less than 50% noted that their provider discussed alternatives. Less than 50% noted that they initiated such conversations about either the risks or alternatives.

These survey results present the need for community efforts to prevent opioid misuse and related fatalities. This is the overarching goal of Mid-Shore OMPP.