The Impact of an Educational Program on Patient Practices for Safe Use, Storage, and Disposal of Opioids at a Comprehensive Cancer Center

Abstract

Background. Improper use, storage, and disposal of prescribed opioids can lead to diversion or accidental poisoning. Our previous study showed a large proportion of cancer patients have unsafe opioid practices. Our objective was to determine whether an improvement occurred in the patterns of use, storage, and disposal of opioids among cancer outpatients after the implementation of a patient educational program. Patients and Methods. Our palliative care (PC) clinic provides every patient with educational material (EM) on safe opioid use, storage, and disposal every time they receive an opioid prescription. We prospectively assessed 300 adult cancer outpatients receiving opioids in our PC clinic, who had received the EM, and compared them with 300 patients who had not received the EM. The previously used surveys pertaining to opioid use, storage, and disposal were administered, and

Uso inadecuado de opioides en pacientes con dolor oncológico: revisión sistemática integradora de la literatura.

“…De manera interesante, De la Cruz y cols. 69 muestran una notable disminución en el uso y almacenamiento inseguro de opioides en pacientes oncológicos tras la implantación de un programa educacional para los pacientes. Por todo ello consideramos de gran importancia que se puedan diseñar e implementar programas de intervención específica destinados a la formación de los profesionales y la educación sanitaria de los pacientes.…”

“…Respecto a la opinión de los profesionales, un estudio de Vainio y cols. concluyó en la década de los ochenta que un 50 % de los médicos de atención primaria referían no Dos artículos hacen referencia a la política de los centros sanitarios respecto al uso inadecuado de opioides 68,69 . En el primero de ellos se concluye que la mayoría de los centros de cuidados paliativos incluidos en el estudio no perciben el abuso de sustancias ni el desvío como un problema, no tienen protocolos establecidos y no realizan formación al respecto 68 .…”

“…El segundo trabajo pretende medir los resultados de implantar un programa educacional dirigido a mejorar el uso y el almacenamiento de los opioides en pacientes oncológicos. De forma francamente interesante, dicha implantación consigue mejorar las conductas aberrantes disminuyendo el uso y almacenamiento inseguro de opioides en estos pacientes 69 .…”

Caring the Cancer Caregivers in the Era of COVID-19 Outbreak

“…The only limitation for real time assistance to caregivers is a limited access of technology to rural areas, especially in developing countries. In that case, a caregiver module should be designed addressing the common assistance needs for symptoms management and should be dispensed among them, whenever they do visit the hospital [15].…”

Risk Assessment and Monitoring of Patients with Cancer Receiving Opioid Therapy

“…Components may include storage, appropriate use of opioids and controlled substances, and disposal strategies once these agents are no longer indicated. Despite nonstop media attention to the opioid epidemic, patients are often stunned when advised to lock up their medications . Optimally, agreements provide an educational opportunity to emphasize our partnership in ensuring safe opioid management.…”