Monitoring Opioids in Europe: The Need for Shared Definitions and Measuring Drivers of Opioid Use and Related Harms
| Autor: | Gerard A. Kalkman, Wim van den Brink, Mimi Pierce, Femke Atsma, Kris C. P. Vissers, Henk J. Schers, Robert T. M. van Dongen, Cornelis Kramers, Arnt F. A. Schellekens |
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| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
Health (social science)
Stress-related disorders Donders Center for Medical Neuroscience [Radboudumc 13] Illegal opioids Prescription opioids Medicine (miscellaneous) Opioid-Related Disorders Healthcare improvement science Radboud Institute for Health Sciences [Radboudumc 18] Experimental Psychopathology and Treatment Opioid dependence Analgesics Opioid Europe Psychiatry and Mental health Humans Opioid Epidemic |
| Zdroj: | European Addiction Research, 28, 3, pp. 231-239 European Addiction Research, 28, 231-239 |
| ISSN: | 1421-9891 1022-6877 |
| Popis: | Contains fulltext : 247597.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) The past 20 years, the USA is facing a serious opioid crisis initiated by an increase in prescription opioid use. Europe has also seen an increase in prescription opioid use, but the extent of related harm is still largely unknown. Given the impact of the US opioid epidemic, it is important to closely monitor signs of emerging opioid-related problems to guarantee early warnings and timely actions. Shared and meaningful definitions for opioid use and related harms, and relevant information about specific drivers for opioid use and related problems are needed for an adequate policy response. In this commentary, we discuss these definitions, the need to know more about the specific drivers for increased opioid use, its related harm, and proposals for strategies to move forward. Policy recommendations include making a distinction between licit and illicit opioids when monitoring and reporting on opioid-related harm, and using oral morphine equivalents to quantify prescription opioid use in a clinically relevant and comparable manner. A major topic of further research is exploring unique and universal drivers of prescription opioid (mis)use across Europe, in particular the role of opioid diversion. 9 p. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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