TY - JOUR
T1 - Recruiting hand therapists improves disposal of unused opioid medication
AU - Stonner, Macyn M.
AU - Skladman, Rachel
AU - Bettlach, Carrie L.Roth
AU - Kennedy, Carie
AU - Mackinnon, Susan E.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2023/7/1
Y1 - 2023/7/1
N2 - Background: Opioids often remain unused after upper extremity surgery, and leftover prescriptions are frequently diverted. When administered in a hand surgery clinic, an educational brochure outlining a simple method of opioid disposal has been shown to improve disposal rates after surgery. Purpose: To understand whether administration of an opioid disposal educational brochure in a hand therapy clinic would increase opioid disposal rates, compared to a hand surgery clinic. Study Design: Prospective cohort study. Methods: Patients who presented to a hand therapy clinic postoperatively were recruited to participate in this prospective cohort study. An educational brochure outlining a simple method of opioid disposal was made available at the hand therapy and surgery clinics. A questionnaire was later issued to obtain: location of brochure receipt, demographic information, pre- and post-operative opioid use history, and opioid disposal patterns. Chi-square tests and multivariable binary logistic regression assessed associations between medication disposal and explanatory variables. Results: Patients who received the brochure were significantly more likely to dispose of excess opioid medication, compared to those who did not receive the brochure (57.1% vs 10.8%, p <.001). Patients who received the brochure at the hand therapy clinic were significantly more likely to dispose of excess opioids (86.4%) compared to those who received the brochure at the surgery clinic (25.0%). Older age was predictive of increased disposal (p =.028*). There were no significant associations between gender, length of follow-up, or surgery type with the incidence of opioid disposal. Conclusion: Recruiting both hand therapists and surgeons in the distribution of a simple, educational brochure on opioid disposal can increase disposal rates. Patients who received the brochure from the hand therapist were more likely to dispose of excess opioids. The longstanding patient-therapist relationship creates an opportunity for educational initiatives and discussion of stigmatized topics, such as opioid use.
AB - Background: Opioids often remain unused after upper extremity surgery, and leftover prescriptions are frequently diverted. When administered in a hand surgery clinic, an educational brochure outlining a simple method of opioid disposal has been shown to improve disposal rates after surgery. Purpose: To understand whether administration of an opioid disposal educational brochure in a hand therapy clinic would increase opioid disposal rates, compared to a hand surgery clinic. Study Design: Prospective cohort study. Methods: Patients who presented to a hand therapy clinic postoperatively were recruited to participate in this prospective cohort study. An educational brochure outlining a simple method of opioid disposal was made available at the hand therapy and surgery clinics. A questionnaire was later issued to obtain: location of brochure receipt, demographic information, pre- and post-operative opioid use history, and opioid disposal patterns. Chi-square tests and multivariable binary logistic regression assessed associations between medication disposal and explanatory variables. Results: Patients who received the brochure were significantly more likely to dispose of excess opioid medication, compared to those who did not receive the brochure (57.1% vs 10.8%, p <.001). Patients who received the brochure at the hand therapy clinic were significantly more likely to dispose of excess opioids (86.4%) compared to those who received the brochure at the surgery clinic (25.0%). Older age was predictive of increased disposal (p =.028*). There were no significant associations between gender, length of follow-up, or surgery type with the incidence of opioid disposal. Conclusion: Recruiting both hand therapists and surgeons in the distribution of a simple, educational brochure on opioid disposal can increase disposal rates. Patients who received the brochure from the hand therapist were more likely to dispose of excess opioids. The longstanding patient-therapist relationship creates an opportunity for educational initiatives and discussion of stigmatized topics, such as opioid use.
KW - Disposal
KW - Education
KW - Hand Surgery
KW - Opioid
KW - Therapy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85135141887&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jht.2022.06.005
DO - 10.1016/j.jht.2022.06.005
M3 - Article
C2 - 35909068
AN - SCOPUS:85135141887
SN - 0894-1130
VL - 36
SP - 507
EP - 513
JO - Journal of Hand Therapy
JF - Journal of Hand Therapy
IS - 3
ER -