Opioid Epidemic Assignment Paper
Policy Paper
Introduction
The opioid epidemic also referred to as the opioid crisis is an issue in healthcare that is directly affected by policy. The rates of opioid addiction, abuse, and overdose deaths are reaching extraordinary levels in the United States, more than 47,000 dying from overdose in 2017(Sharareh et al., 2019). The paper provides an analysis of the opioid epidemic crisis as an issue in healthcare that is directly affected by policy.Opioid Epidemic Assignment Paper
The Opioid epidemic issue in healthcare that is directly affected by policy
The addiction to and misuse of opioids, entailing heroin, prescription opioids, and synthetic opioids like fentanyl, is a serious problem affecting thousands of Americans and also the economic and social welfare of the country. According to Sharareh et al. (2019), the opioid epidemic in the United States is as a result of abuse of prescription drugs, abuse of illicit opioids like heroin, and abuse of synthetic drugs like fentanyl, all of which are contributing to a huge number of deaths as a result of an overdose. Even though the supply of prescription opioids has gone down, the use of synthetic opioids and heroin, which are more addictive than prescription opioids, has continued growing and have increase opioid overdoses rates.
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The current healthcare policy relevant to the opioid epidemic
The 21st Century Cures Act, and the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act(CARA ) are current healthcare policies that address the American opioid epidemic. . According to Gross and Gordon (2019), the 21st Century Cures Act was signed into law in December 2016 to raise grant financing for mental health and substance abuse issues. The CARA which was signed into in 2016 to offer legislation to deal with the opioid crisis covering all sixteen pillars essential for developing a coordinated response: law enforcement, prevention, treatment, recovery, overdose reversal, and criminal justice reform. The law authorizes over 181 million dollars yearly in new financing to fight the opioid crisis.Opioid Epidemic Assignment Paper
Background information relevant to the opioid epidemic
The opioid epidemic is an end product, and in particular, an adverse incident of medical care. According to Bollinger and Stevens (2019), the United States the opioid epidemic has been estimated to have originally stemmed from attempts to address the difficulty of inadequate treatment of pain, which motivated a shift in policy and practice. In the early 1990s, there was a consequent increase in the number of opioid prescriptions, acute pain management, and also the treatment of chronic pain. Considering that up to 11% of patients with chronic pain utilizing opioids met the criteria for substance misuse disorders, these changes in policy and practice may clarify the steady growth in misuse of prescription opioids. This was aggravated by pharmaceutical firms who were expanding their markets misusing the changes in policy and practice shifts with aggressive marketing plans.
Social, economic, ethical, and political factors that impact the opioid epidemic
Nationally, the rise in lethal opioid overdoses rates have inexplicably, but not solely affected men, middle-aged persons, and Whites. The highest deaths resulting from opioid overdose are prevalent in Mountain, Rust Belt, and South as well as the New England States. Socioeconomic groups that are at an increased risk for fatal opioid use include middle-aged women and men, individuals of low socioeconomic status, those in insecure housing, individuals with low levels of education, and individuals recently released from prison. Also, individuals who are separated or divorced individuals are at higher threat of a lethal opioid overdose (Altekruse et al., 2020).Opioid Epidemic Assignment Paper
Unethical practices by pharmaceutical companies impact the American opioid epidemic. According to pharmaceutical companies hide addiction risks from consumers when aggressively marketing opioids. From the political angle, institutions enhanced the opioid crisis by producing influential incentives for pharmaceutical companies to manufacture and commercialize prescription pain medications that were highly addictive while imposing frail restrictions on the rollout of novel and more addictive products (Hemel & Ouellette, 2020).
A statement expressing your position on the political issue
Continued increases in opioid overdose deaths and declining United States life expectancy call for the need for adoption of comprehensive health approaches to the American opioid epidemic and the establishment of an infrastructure to ward off future crises.
Key stakeholders that may be impacted by the opioid epidemic
Several stakeholders are affected by the opioid epidemic, entailing policymakers/ government entities, opioid users/ patients, healthcare providers, and the general public. According to Bolliger and Stevens (2019), dependence is a grave adverse effect linked to the use of opioids, which can result in compulsive use notwithstanding negative consequences. The use and abuse contributed to a public health crisis which is demonstrated by the increase in the number of individuals suffering from opioid use disorder (OUD) in the country. Bollinger and Stevens (2019) allege that the opioid crisis is a self-inflicted public health threat in the country where opioid overdoses are the principal cause of mortality for individuals under 50 years. People with opioid use disorders have a high likelihood to utilize medical services, including emergency department visits, inpatient hospital stays, and physician outpatient visits. Healthcare organizations and providers play a key role in dealing with the opioid overdose epidemic, but they need to collaborate with policymakers to develop policies to control the epidemic and improve public health.Opioid Epidemic Assignment Paper
Two policy that could impact the issue and the pros and cons of each policy
Safe is one policy that could impact the opioid epidemic in the United States. Improving practices of opioid prescribing have the potential to avert addiction. Saloner et al. (2018) indicate that Efforts geared towards improving prescribing must be aligned with wider efforts to provide pain treatment that is patient-centered deploying a variety of treatment modalities. The pros of this policy are that numerous measures can be employed t improve the prescription of opioid, including educating patients and clinicians on patient treatment options entailing nonpharmacological pain treatments (for example physical therapy) and nonopioid pharmacotherapies( for example, ibuprofen) that have demonstrated to be more effective and safer than opioids in some situations. The con of safe prescribing policy is that insurers often do not adequately cover nonpharmacological pain treatments like physical therapy. As thus there is a need to reform policies on pain treatment reimbursement.
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The second policy that could impact the opioid epidemic is treatment expansion. According to Saloner et al. (2018), improving uptake of opioid antagonist treatment implies taking effective treatments to individuals seriously need it, without obstacles such as huge out of pot cost, travel distance, and waitlists. The pro of this policy is that opioid antagonists such as buprenorphine which is less costly than illegal opioids can be introduced in emergency departments. However, buprenorphine is strongly regulated and scope of practice laws in many states do not authorize nurse practitioners to prescribe buprenorphine in spite of recent federal policy reform.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the United States is in the middle of an opioid crisis that is that can be abated by sustained public health policies. The addiction to and misuse of opioids, entailing heroin, prescription opioids, and synthetic opioids like fentanyl, is a serious problem affecting millions of Americans and also the economic and social welfare of the country. Political will needs to be developed to effect reform, and a vision is required to develop policies such as safe prescribing and treatment expansion that will function to decrease overdose.Opioid Epidemic Assignment Paper
References
Altekruse, S. F., Cosgrove, C.M., Altekruse, W. C., Jenkins, R. A., & Blanco, C. (2020). Socioeconomic risk factors for fatal opioid overdoses in the United States: Findings from the Mortality Disparities in American Community Study (MDAC). PLoS One, 15(1): e0227966. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227966
Bollinger, L., & Stevens, H. (2019). From Opioid Pain Management to Opioid Crisis in the USA: How Can Public-Private Partnerships Help. Frontiers in Medicine (Laussane), 6, 106. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2019.00106
Gross, J., & Gordon, D. B. (2019). The Strengths and Weaknesses of Current US Policy to Address Pain. American Journal of Public Health, 109(1), 66-72. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2018.304746
Hemel, D. J., & Ouellette, L.L. (2020). Innovation institutions and the opioid crisis. Journal of Law and the Biosciences https://doi.org/10.1093/jlb/lsaa001
Saloner, B., McGinty, E. E., Beletsky, L., Blutenthal, R., Beyrer, C., Botticelli, M., & Sherman, S. G. (2018). A Public Health Strategy for the Opioid Crisis. Public Health Reports, 133(Suppl 1), 24S-34. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033354918793627
Sharareh, N., Sabounchi, S. S., McFarland, M., & Hess, R. (2029). Evidence of Modeling Impact in Development of Policies for Controlling the Opioid Epidemic and Improving Public Health: A Scoping Review. Substance Abuse, 13, 1178221819866211. doi: 10.1177/1178221819866211
Opioid Epidemic Assignment Paper