Highlights
- •An educational brochure improves disposal rates of unused opioids after upper extremity surgery.
- •Recruiting hand therapists in brochure distribution further increases opioid disposal rates.
- •Brochure administration is more effective when coupled an active discussion of opioid use.
- •Older age is associated with higher rates of opioid disposal.
Abstract
Background
Opioids often remain unused after upper extremity surgery, and leftover prescriptions
are frequently diverted. When administered in a hand surgery clinic, an educational
brochure outlining a simple method of opioid disposal has been shown to improve disposal
rates after surgery.
Purpose
To understand whether administration of an opioid disposal educational brochure in
a hand therapy clinic would increase opioid disposal rates, compared to a hand surgery
clinic.
Study Design
Prospective cohort study.
Methods
Patients who presented to a hand therapy clinic postoperatively were recruited to
participate in this prospective cohort study. An educational brochure outlining a
simple method of opioid disposal was made available at the hand therapy and surgery
clinics. A questionnaire was later issued to obtain: location of brochure receipt,
demographic information, pre- and post-operative opioid use history, and opioid disposal
patterns. Chi-square tests and multivariable binary logistic regression assessed associations
between medication disposal and explanatory variables.
Results
Patients who received the brochure were significantly more likely to dispose of excess
opioid medication, compared to those who did not receive the brochure (57.1% vs 10.8%,
p < .001). Patients who received the brochure at the hand therapy clinic were significantly more likely to dispose of excess opioids (86.4%) compared
to those who received the brochure at the surgery clinic (25.0%). Older age was predictive of increased disposal (p =.028*). There
were no significant associations between gender, length of follow-up, or surgery type
with the incidence of opioid disposal.
Conclusion
Recruiting both hand therapists and surgeons in the distribution of a simple, educational
brochure on opioid disposal can increase disposal rates. Patients who received the
brochure from the hand therapist were more likely to dispose of excess opioids. The
longstanding patient-therapist relationship creates an opportunity for educational
initiatives and discussion of stigmatized topics, such as opioid use.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 28, 2022
Accepted:
June 8,
2022
Received in revised form:
March 18,
2022
Received:
July 27,
2021
Publication stage
In Press Corrected ProofFootnotes
Conflict of interest: All named authors hereby declare that they have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
