TY - JOUR KW - Adult KW - Aged KW - Drug Overdose/prevention & control KW - Female KW - Focus Groups KW - Health Services Accessibility KW - Heroin KW - Homeless KW - Humans KW - legal KW - Male KW - Middle Aged KW - naloxone KW - Naloxone/therapeutic use KW - Narcan KW - Narcotic Antagonists/therapeutic use KW - Opioid-Related Disorders/drug therapy KW - Opioids KW - Overdose KW - Patient Education as Topic KW - Patient Satisfaction KW - Residential Treatment KW - Substance use disorder KW - United States KW - United States Department of Veterans Affairs KW - Veterans/education/psychology KW - Young Adult AU - E. M. Oliva AU - A. Nevedal AU - E. T. Lewis AU - M. D. McCaa AU - M. F. Cochran AU - P. E. Konicki AU - C. S. Davis AU - C. Wilder A1 - AB - BACKGROUND: In an effort to prevent opioid overdose mortality among Veterans, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities began implementing opioid overdose education and naloxone distribution (OEND) in 2013 and a national program began in 2014. VA is the first national health care system to implement OEND. The goal of this study is to examine patient perceptions of OEND training and naloxone kits. METHODS: Four focus groups were conducted between December 2014 and February 2015 with 21 patients trained in OEND. Participants were recruited from a VA residential facility in California with a substance use disorder treatment program (mandatory OEND training) and a homeless program (optional OEND training). Data were analyzed using matrices and open and closed coding approaches to identify participants' perspectives on OEND training including benefits, concerns, differing opinions, and suggestions for improvement. RESULTS: Veterans thought OEND training was interesting, novel, and empowering, and that naloxone kits will save lives. Some veterans expressed concern about using syringes in the kits. A few patients who never used opioids were not interested in receiving kits. Veterans had differing opinions about legal and liability issues, whether naloxone kits might contribute to relapse, and whether and how to involve family in training. Some veterans expressed uncertainty about the effects of naloxone. Suggested improvements included active learning approaches, enhanced training materials, and increased advertisement. CONCLUSIONS: OEND training was generally well received among study participants, including those with no indication for a naloxone kit. Patients described a need for OEND and believed it could save lives. Patient feedback on OEND training benefits, concerns, opinions, and suggestions provides important insights to inform future OEND training programs both within VA and in other health care settings. Training is critical to maximizing the potential for OEND to save lives, and this study includes specific suggestions for improving the effectiveness and acceptability of training. BT - Substance abuse C5 - Opioids & Substance Use CP - 1 CY - United States DO - 10.1080/08897077.2015.1129528 IS - 1 JF - Substance abuse N2 - BACKGROUND: In an effort to prevent opioid overdose mortality among Veterans, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities began implementing opioid overdose education and naloxone distribution (OEND) in 2013 and a national program began in 2014. VA is the first national health care system to implement OEND. The goal of this study is to examine patient perceptions of OEND training and naloxone kits. METHODS: Four focus groups were conducted between December 2014 and February 2015 with 21 patients trained in OEND. Participants were recruited from a VA residential facility in California with a substance use disorder treatment program (mandatory OEND training) and a homeless program (optional OEND training). Data were analyzed using matrices and open and closed coding approaches to identify participants' perspectives on OEND training including benefits, concerns, differing opinions, and suggestions for improvement. RESULTS: Veterans thought OEND training was interesting, novel, and empowering, and that naloxone kits will save lives. Some veterans expressed concern about using syringes in the kits. A few patients who never used opioids were not interested in receiving kits. Veterans had differing opinions about legal and liability issues, whether naloxone kits might contribute to relapse, and whether and how to involve family in training. Some veterans expressed uncertainty about the effects of naloxone. Suggested improvements included active learning approaches, enhanced training materials, and increased advertisement. CONCLUSIONS: OEND training was generally well received among study participants, including those with no indication for a naloxone kit. Patients described a need for OEND and believed it could save lives. Patient feedback on OEND training benefits, concerns, opinions, and suggestions provides important insights to inform future OEND training programs both within VA and in other health care settings. Training is critical to maximizing the potential for OEND to save lives, and this study includes specific suggestions for improving the effectiveness and acceptability of training. PP - United States PY - 2016 SN - 1547-0164; 0889-7077 SP - 118 EP - 126 EP - T1 - Patient perspectives on an opioid overdose education and naloxone distribution program in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs T2 - Substance abuse TI - Patient perspectives on an opioid overdose education and naloxone distribution program in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs U1 - Opioids & Substance Use U2 - 26675643 U3 - 10.1080/08897077.2015.1129528 VL - 37 VO - 1547-0164; 0889-7077 Y1 - 2016 ER -