Reducing opioid misuse among adolescents through physician education

ABSTRACT

Increased prescribing of opioids has been associated with an epidemic of nonmedical prescription opioid use in the United States; adolescents and young adults are particularly vulnerable to opioid misuse. The role of physicians as health care providers, educators, and confidants for their adolescent patients equips them to intervene in adolescent opioid misuse. The authors advocate for improving the education of physicians and residents regarding opioid use and misuse among adolescents. To achieve this, we can require residency education that includes opioid misuse and appropriate prescribing, widely disseminate existing resources on management of pain and opioid misuse, and develop pain management and addiction mentorship programs.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescent
• education
• opioid
• prescription drug misuse
• substance-related disorders

Acknowledgments

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Author contributions

Nonie S. Arora contributed to the conception, research, writing, and revision of this work. Kayla M. Marcotte contributed to the conception, research, writing, and revision of this work. Dr. John A. Hopper provided direction, research, and guidance regarding content and contributed revisions. All authors approve of the final version of this commentary.