Writing Assignment #3 - ONE PAGE.

COH599 Public Health Foundation MPH STUDENT

Opioid Epidemic

Opioid is a narcotic-pain-relieving drug used to relieve pain on a short period of time. Opioid derives from the opium poppy plant. Opioids are categorized by types of type opioids, for example, opiates/opium alkaloids, synthetic opioids and semi-synthetic opioids. Opiates/opium alkaloids include codeine, heroin, morphine and opium. Synthetic opioids are butorphanol, diphenoxylate, fentanyl, meperidine, methadone, pentazocine, and proxyphene. Semi-synthetic opioids are buprenorphine, hydrocodone, hydromorphine, nalbuphine, oxycodone and oxymorphone. The mentioned drugs come in many forms like tablets, capsules and or injections. However, the prolonged usage of opioid has caused an epidemic in health care.

The SWOT analysis below illustrates the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the opioid. The strengths of opioids are the following: opioids are effective when used as prescribed, available in many forms, inexpensive to manufacture and tailored to pain. The weaknesses of opioids are addiction, easy to obtain, inexpensive to produce, available in many forms, and available on doctor’s prescription. Opportunities of opioids are the management of pain and the forms of distribution. The opioid threat is addiction, homeless, violence, death, contraband, misuse and illegal.

On September 17, 2019, I meet up with a Registered Nurse and a police officer at a coffee shop. Shirlee Johnson is a registered nurse who works at Sharp Hospital in the emergency department. Scott Davis is a police officer who works for the city of El Cajon. To break the ice of my group, I initiated the conversation by asking them about their encounters with opioids. Both the nurse and police officer mentioned that opioid is saturating the services in their organization. I proceeded to ask questions to the professionals. Some of the questions asked were: what do you see on a daily basis? what do you think are the causes of the opioid crisis? How do you deal with the encounters? What population are most affected by it? and how can we improve the situation? Both professionals stated they are in the front line of the crisis since they witness it on a daily basis. Mr. Davis and Ms. Johnson agree the crisis has taken a toll in the not only in the community, but nationwide. While patrolling the streets, law enforcement observes the increase of the drug use when responding to car accidents, overdoses, accidental deaths, domestic violence. Likewise Ms. Johnson mentions that the increase has cause an influx of patients recovering the emergency room overdosed and after they are stabilized they are very combative, often extremely violent to handle and frequently the staff has to contact law enforcement to restrain and or calm the patient down. Professionals state that opioid doesn’t discriminate and affects everyone in the community. They also mentioned the overly prescribed and illegal production of opioids caused the crisis. In addition, Nurse Johnson and Officer Davis talked about the various methods that have been set in place to decrease the addiction and improve the healthcare of the consumers. Some of these programs include behavioral health services, prevention, and intervention. Although many program has been put in place the opioid is far from being controlled.

As a whole, the problems with opioids exceeded my expectations. My knowledge about it was very limited. After speaking with Mr. Davis and Ms. Johnson, I have a new vantage point. I see the crisis for what it is, chaos and violence. I believe that the federal government intervention needs to increase its presence when it comes to the distribution/prescription of opioids. Furthermore, the government should intervene and try to assist those states where opioids have engulfed by providing support to those in need. The longer we wait the worse it will be since the opioid crisis continues to increase in the United States.

Strengths	Weaknesses
· Effective · Pain reliver · Available in many forms · Inexpensive to produce · Taylor to pain	· Addictive · Easy to obtain · Inexpensive to produce · Available in many forms · Doctors prescribe it
Opportunities	Threats
· Manage Pain while recovering from injury · Distribution	· Addiction · Homeless · Violence · Death · Contraband · Misuse · Illegal distribution · Illegal manufactured · Illegal/unregulated

Reference:

Liu, Lindsy. “Introduction to the Opioid Epidemic.” Poison.Org, National Capital Poison Center, 13 June 2018, www.poison.org/articles/introduction-to-the-opioid-epidemic-182. Accessed 20 Sept. 2019.