Randomized pilot trial measuring knowledge acquisition of opioid education in emergency department patients using a novel media platform

ABSTRACT

Background: The number of active opioid analgesic prescriptions has risen steadily, causing increases in nonmedical opioid use, addiction, and overdose. Insufficient focus on patient discharge instructions has contributed to lack of patient awareness regarding dangers of opioids. This study examines whether an educational Khan Academy–style animation discharge instruction on the dangers and safe usage of opioid analgesics elicits higher knowledge acquisition than current standard of care. Additionally, it measures the feasibility of implementing this video discharge instruction in the emergency department (ED). Methods: Fifty-two English-speaking patients aged 18 years or older receiving an opioid prescription were enrolled in this study. Patients were randomized into 2 groups. The standard of care group received verbal instruction and an informational sheet, whereas the video animation group received a 6-minute video on proper usage of opioids in addition to standard of care. Video content was sourced from samhsa.gov and administered within the ED prior to discharge. Both groups received a 26-question test regarding the dangers and safe usage of opioids immediately after education. An unpaired t test compared knowledge acquisition between the 2 groups. Results: Fifty-four patients were approached, 52 patients enrolled; 27 in the standard group and 25 in the animation group. The standard of care group averaged 65% knowledge acquisition (16.8/26 correct), whereas the animation group averaged 82% acquisition (21.2/26 correct). The video animation significantly increased patient knowledge acquisition about opioid medications' risks and proper usage and disposal (P = .001). Conclusion: It can be concluded that medical knowledge acquisition is improved in the video animation group compared with the current standard of care (P = .001). It can also be concluded that it is feasible to implement a novel media platform to educate patients receiving opioid analgesics in the ED (96.1%).

KEYWORDS:

• Analgesics
• drug overdose
• emergency services
• multimedia
• narcotics
• opioid
• opioid-related disorders
• patient discharge
• prescriptions
• standard of care
• surveys and questionnaires

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Emergency Medicine Research Associates Program (EMRAP) and the faculty at UC Irvine Medical Center Emergency Department for their help in subject screening and enrollment.

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Author contributions

Bharath Chakravarthy, MD, MPH: Lead researcher—Oversaw study creation, patient enrollment, and manuscript authorship; primary manuscript editor. Shashank Somasundaram: Research personnel—Oversaw and participated in patient enrollment, data analysis and primary manuscript authorship. Jennifer Mogi BS, BA: Co-researcher—Assisted in creation of study and animated video; manuscript editor. Roshan Burns, BS: Research personnel—Assisted in study creation and IRB passage, researched and created video content for study. Wirachin Hoonpongsimanont, MD, MS: Co-researcher—Oversaw patient enrollment in study, study troubleshooting; manuscript editor. Warren Wiechmann, MD, MBA: Co-researcher—Aided in definition of study variables and manuscript editing. Shahram Lotfipour, MD, MPH: Co-researcher—Oversaw patient enrollment in study, study troubleshooting; manuscript editor.