Danielle M. McCarthy|Michael S. Wolf|Ryan McConnell|Jill Sears|Allison Chevrier|Eric Ahlstrom|Kirsten G. Engel|Kenzie A. Cameron|James G. Adams|D. Mark Courtney
Improving Patient Knowledge and Safe Use of Opioids: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Northwestern University|Northwestern University|Northwestern University|Northwestern University|Northwestern University|Northwestern University|Northwestern University|Northwestern University|Northwestern University|Northwestern University
use opioid analgesics united states significantly increased recent years however minimal consensus discharge counseling accompany highrisk prescriptions large variations done practice objective study evaluate effect dualmodality written spoken literacyappropriate educational strategy patients knowledge safe use opioid analgesicsthis prospective randomized controlled trial consecutive discharged patients urban academic ed 88000 visits new prescriptions hydrocodoneacetaminophen enrolled patients randomized receive either usual care educational intervention educational intervention onepage information sheet hydrocodoneacetaminophen given patients read aloud research assistant nonblinded followup phone calls conducted 4 7 days visit assess patient knowledge medication selfreport activities associated safety use eg doubledipping acetaminophen storage use alcohol drivinga total 274 patients enrolled 210 completed followup 110 usual care 100 intervention significant differences baseline characteristics emerged study arms 42 male 51 white median age 43 years half patients nonback pain orthopedic injuries 495 followup overall knowledge poor 28 able name active ingredients medication intervention group better knowledge precautions related taking additional acetaminophen usual care 182 95 confidence interval ci 109 255 vs intervention 38 95 ci 283 477 difference 276 95 ci difference 215 337 knowledge side effects usual care median 1 interquartile range iqr 0 2 vs intervention median 2 iqr 1 2 p 00001 additionally received intervention less likely reported driving within 6 hours taking hydrocodone usual care 136 95 ci 72 20 vs intervention 3 95 ci 03 63 difference 106 95 ci difference 34 179 difference groups related knowledge drinking alcohol taking hydrocodone overall 181 knowledge opioid could addictive overall 724this simple strategy improved several aspects patient knowledge resulted fewer patients intervention arm driving taking hydrocodone integration patient education document conversations opioids holds promise improving patient knowledge highrisk medications