Adolescent Opioid Abuse in the Midst of an Epidemic: A Nursing Perspective

Problem: Opioid abuse is at epidemic proportions in the United States among adolescents, aged 10-24 years. Over the past decade and a half, the prevalence of opioid abuse within the U.S. has seen a steady incline, including those in the adolescent age group. This rise in opioid overdose deaths consists of increased frequency in the use of heroin and synthetic opioids including tramadol and fentanyl. In Rhode Island, the opioid overdose death rate in the adolescent population is comparable to several larger states along the east coast, including Massachusetts, Connecticut, North Carolina, and Florida. With an increasing number of adolescents being admitted to emergency departments across the country with opioid overdoses, this review of data serves as an inquiry to assist in identifying current trends among the general population or among adolescents of opioid use.

Method: The review seeks with a nursing perspective to identify risk factors of the adolescent vulnerable to opioid abuse. In addition, common factors within the adolescent population will be reviewed to enhance a public health initiative for the preventive education to reduce opioid abuse and mortality. For this review, current and available data, statistics, and trends surrounding opioid use were gathered from reputable and reliable resources including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the State of Rhode Island Department of Public Health internet pages. Furthermore, while identifying interventions and the nurse’s role in the opioid epidemic supplemental government resources, including the President’s Commission on Combatting Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, were accessed in order to gain insight into the federal recommendations.

Results: The data compiled throughout the review demonstrated that the rise in opioid abuse is consistent throughout the adolescent population and poses obvious threats to the overall well-being and safety to these children. A need for increased funding for preventive programs and services and increased patient and prescriber education was also identified.

Conclusion: In order to help combat the current trend of opioid abuse, it is vital to recognize the standards and recommendations that have been set forth by the United States government that are targeted towards the adolescent population and the fight against opioids use, abuse, and mortality. Additionally, it is equally important for individual states to review their current data and interventions to ensure that proactive and preventive measures are in place to help reduce the number of adolescent opioid deaths in the U.S.