Prescription Drugs Misuse/Abuse
QUESTION
The Session Long Project entails you going through the process of influencing policymakers. Review the Oklahoma Rehabilitation Council Advocacy Toolbox. Read the “Writing to government officials or lobbyists” and the “Raising a Concern” sample letter. Additionally, read the “Finding and using data” article for this assignment.
The health topic for this Session Long Project will focus on Prescription Drug Misuse/Abuse.
Choose any topic that is related to the category stated above. Choose whether you will advocate for change at the local, state, or national level.
For this SLP assignment, you will be writing to “raise a concern.”
Choose three key elements from “Finding and using data” page and discuss how these elements relate to influencing policymakers (one paragraph).
Write a one-page letter that encompasses the information from the above 3 bullets (on “raise a concern”).
Note: The first page addresses bullets 1–3. The second page is a one-page letter on “raising a concern” and encompasses the information from questions 1–3 (see sample letters for guidance). Your letter must be on a topic related to the category stated above and must be directed toward the local, state, OR federal level.
Length: 2 pages (excluding the cover page and the reference list).
Prescription Drugs Misuse/Abuse
ANSWER
Prescription Drugs Misuse/Abuse
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course Name and Number
Instructor’s Name
Date
Prescription Drugs Misuse/Abuse
Misuse of prescription medications is a common occurrence globally, with those likely to have devastating impacts from such misuse on a constant rise. Prescription drugs misuse or abuse refers to the use of prescribed medications in a manner or dosages that were not prescribed. It can also result from taking someone else’s prescription, even if you share health complaints. Additionally, it can be due to taking medications for other personal reasons, such as to feel euphoric (Griesler et al., 2019). Misuse of prescription drugs has devastating impacts, including overdose deaths, increased emergency room visits, and, in severe cases, addictions (Griesler et al., 2019). These disastrous impacts of misuse of prescription drugs emphasize the need to develop measures to address them and prevent more incidences from occurring. This is the focus of this paper, which outlines the various steps to avoid the abuse of prescription medications. As a specialist in the healthcare sector, it is essential to be at the frontline in addressing this issue by being the whistleblower, informing the people about the various factors which lead to such abuse, the impacts of these abuses, and how efficiently they can be addressed to prevent more cases from occurring.
The “Finding and using data” article highlights various elements and how the elements influence policymaking. Some of these elements are; it is crucial not to overanalyze if it will delay the work. Some good reports are often released when they are already late, when nothing significant can be made. Secondly, do not skew information, as this can damage one’s reputation when it is finally found. Thirdly, it is crucial to use one’s information, including statistics from one’s program and stories from their experience. This can also be very powerful in persuading policymakers to listen and implement your proposal.
The Honorable James Gordon,
Legislative Office Building,
Florida.
Dear Senator Gordon,
I am writing to inform you of the alarming rates of people getting admitted because of misusing and abusing prescription medications. This is becoming a significant health concern because patients present to emergency rooms following an overdose of prescription drugs each day, while others are on regular follow-up due to addiction to the prescription drugs (Griesler et al., 2019). The number of people who develop complications due to the misuse of prescription drugs is likely to increase, given the increasing number of people on prescription drugs (Hales et al., 2018). What makes this situation even worse is that there are measures that, when appropriately implemented, will prevent the incidences of these devastating impacts. Yet, people still have to face these consequences.
Up to 45.8% of Americans use prescriptions monthly, whether legally or not. Additionally, 16.3 million people are reported annually to have misused prescriptions (Hales et al., 2018). The main factor for the increased incidences of abuse has been attributed to increased availability and the generally high use rates. Abuse of painkillers and opioids tops the list, raising concerns over the availability of these prescription medications (Griesler et al., 2019). As a care provider, I encounter patients daily who present with complications of misuse of prescription drugs or admitting to having abused prescription medications.
The complications, high costs of managing these complications, and even the deaths are preventable only when stringent measures are put in place to address this issue. Unfortunately, these measures do not exist, and the few that exist are not effectively implemented to address the issue. There is a need to develop policies that will regulate the pharmaceutical industries and the healthcare providers who prescribe the most commonly abused prescription medications (Kanouse & Compton, 2015). Additionally, it is essential to establish an agency containing health educators, which will educate the people on the dangers of abuse of prescription medications to enable them to make appropriate health decisions.
As a legislature who has dedicated his entire leadership advocating for better health reforms, I know that you will do your best to ensure that this issue is adequately addressed. Feel free to contact me anytime for any clarification if necessary. Thank you for your time, sacrifice, and commitment to ensure the proper health of the citizens.
Sincerely,
Lyla Zapata
068 Lincoln Lane
Greenlight Town, CT 08000
(203) 002-2000
zapata59@yahoo.com
References
Griesler, P. C., Hu, M. C., Wall, M. M., & Kandel, D. B. (2019). Medical use and misuse of prescription opioids in the US adult population: 2016–2017. American journal of public health, 109(9), 1258-1265. https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.2019.305162
Hales, C. M., Kit, B. K., Gu, Q., & Ogden, C. L. (2018). Trends in prescription medication use among children and adolescents—the United States, 1999-2014. Jama, 319(19), 2009-2020. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2681195
Kanouse, A. B., & Compton, P. (2015). The epidemic of prescription opioid abuse, the subsequent rising prevalence of heroin use, and the federal response. Journal of pain & palliative care pharmacotherapy, 29(2), 102-114. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/15360288.2015.1037521