Friday, April 26, 2024
4/26/2024
Program Director/Principal Investigator (Last, First, Middle): Hohmann, Lindsey A Abstract Background & Significance: Given the rising problem of prescription drug abuse & high number of opioid-related deaths annually in the United States, mechanisms to distribute naloxone (a fast-acting opioid reversal agent) are sorely needed. Due to extended hours & no need for appointments, community pharmacies offer a solution. Since 2015, all 50 states have passed bills allowing pharmacists to dispense naloxone to patients without a physician’s prescription. However, pharmacists still miss opportunities to dispense naloxone to eligible patients due to misinformation or lack of confidence in implementing naloxone services. Aims: The purpose of this study is to create & assess a targeted pharmacist training program for naloxone therapy management to increase community pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes, confidence, intention, & naloxone dispensing activities for prevention of opioid overdose deaths. This study will use mixed methods & a 2-group pragmatic randomized controlled trial design among community pharmacists in Alabama to address two specific aims: 1) to incorporate community pharmacists’ training needs & experts’ strategies to overcome barriers regarding pharmacy-based naloxone services implementation into the development of a targeted training program; & 2) to evaluate a targeted naloxone training program among community pharmacists. Methods: A 2-stage participatory design approach will be employed consisting of: 1) formative interviews with Alabama community pharmacists & opioid/naloxone experts; & 2) stakeholder panel. Formative interviews have been completed & qualitatively analyzed to determine pharmacists’ needs & experts’ strategies. These needs & strategies will inform development of a training program using a Delphi process of iterative feedback & modification with a panel of pharmacists’ & experts to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and usability of training content & format. After the program is finalized, Alabama community pharmacists in counties with high opioid death rates will be invited to participate using a combination of mail, email, & phone recruitment & randomized to control (no training) or intervention (training) group. The training’s impact on pharmacists’ knowledge, perceived barriers, attitudes, confidence, & intention to implement naloxone services will be assessed via online surveys at baseline, immediately post-training, & 3 months. Self-reported naloxone service implementation and dispensing behaviors will be measured at baseline and 3 months. Mean differences between groups across time-points will be assessed using mixed ANOVA, with associations between implementation behaviors, knowledge, beliefs, & intentions assessed via GEE models with log-link function. Implications: Pharmacists’ knowledge, confidence, intention, & implementation of naloxone dispensing activities are expected to increase, suggesting that training programs created via a participatory design approach are an effective method to increase capacity of trained providers & improve patient access & safety. 1
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
