Pitt School of Social Work Professor Receives $15,000 Grant to Help Pharmacists Fight Prescription Drug Abuse

September 30, 2014       Pitt School of Social Work Professor Receives $15,000 Grant to Help Pharmacists Fight Prescription Drug Abuse The study will examine whether pharmacists can identify at-risk patients PITTSBURGH--- University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work Assistant Professor Jerry Cochran has received a $15,000 grant from the University of Pittsburgh Central Research Development Fund to develop a drug abuse screening tool for pharmacy settings, and to assess the results, in order to help minimize opioid medication misuse. The non-medical use of prescription opioids has reached epidemic proportions in the US and is major concern for public health. In fact, current research is showing that policies attempting to curtail access to pain medications have likely driven large increases in street heroin use. The most devastating aspect of the current epidemic in the US is overdose deaths, which from 1999 to 2008 increased fourfold, with nearly 50 individuals dying each day from an opioid analgesic overdose in 2010. Policy and practice-level efforts have attempted to safeguard access to these medications but benefits from these efforts have not been clear.  However, one relatively unexplored but potentially effective method to address opioid pain medication misuse could be Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT). Currently, these screenings are used in healthcare settings by a variety of providers to identify and help those who abuse substances reduce or eliminate use, but pharmacy settings have received limited attention in previous research and implementation efforts. In fact, a study has never previously been conducted to actively identify patients at-risk or engaged in opioid pain medication abuse within a pharmacy setting for the intent of an intervention. Despite this lack of attention, pharmacies could likely be highly effective locations to deliver these services given the fact that pharmacies are primary locations to obtain opioid medications for diversion and abuse, and that pharmacists are consistently ranked among the most trusted professionals in the nation. The project will recruit adult, non-cancer treatment patients filling any prescription for opioid pain medication from three Western Pennsylvania pharmacy sites. The study aims to demonstrate that at-risk and/or patients abusing medication can be identified in the pharmacy setting, and it will assess whether pharmacists can effectively engage with their patients about opioid medication misuse. For more information, contact Shannon Murphy [412-648-9404 (office); 412-335-4457 (cell); shm87@pitt.edu]

Preview Text

SSW Assistant Professor Jerry Cochran has received a $15,000 grant from the University of Pittsburgh Central Research Development Fund to develop a drug abuse screening tool for pharmacy settings, and to assess the results, in order to help minimize opioid medication misuse.