Unintentional Drug Overdose Poisoning Project

According to data from the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), in 2008, there were 132 unintentional drug overdose deaths among Montgomery County residents. Death certificates revealed 106 (80 percent) of these decedents had prescription opioids, such as hydrocodone, oxycodone and methadone, in their systems at the time of death. Benzodiazepines were often found along with the opioids.

Because Montgomery County has an above-average unintentional drug overdose death rate, compared to many other counties in Ohio, Public Health — Dayton & Montgomery County (PHDMC), in collaboration with Montgomery County’s Office of Family and Children First, submitted a proposal to the ODH seeking federal injury prevention block grant funds to address the problem. A renewable grant was awarded in 2010. The WSU Center for Interventions, Treatment & Addictions Research (CITAR) is carrying out the work specified in the grant on a contractual basis. In doing so, CITAR is collaborating with PHDMC, the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office, and the Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board as well as stakeholders in the community.

The goal of the project is to help reduce the rate of unintentional prescription drug overdose deaths in Montgomery County. To accomplish this, the project’s objectives are to:

1. participate in the Montgomery County Opiate Task Force;
2. maintain the Poison Death Review process;
3. implement the Coalition’s recommendations;
4. educate prescribers about OAARS;
5. offer training about the unintentional OD problem to heath care professionals; and
6. develop a social marketing strategy to reduce unintentional Rx overdoses.

These objectives are essentially the same ones specified in the initial proposal except that the original Unintentional Drug Poisoning Coalition has been replaced by the Montgomery County Opiate Task Force, which is operated by the Montgomery County ADAMHS Board. Several members from the old coalition now serve on the Montgomery County Opiate Task Force.

CITAR faculty and staff involved in the project included: Russel Falck, M.A., project director; Robert Carlson, Ph.D., co-director; Raminta Daniulaityte, Ph.D., co-director; Tim Lane, M.Ed., project injury prevention coordinator; Heather Stevens, M.S., project injury prevention coordinator; and Linna Li, M.S., data manager.

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Rx Drug Abuse Educational Video Series

The Center for Interventions, Treatment and Addictions Research (CITAR) at the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine joined with local physicians and other experts to produce a series of short videos, all less than 10 minutes long, to raise awareness of the medical and public health issues surrounding the use of Rx opioids.

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Preventing Drug Overdose News Releases and Posters

• May 27, 2014 News Release — Summary of the Montgomery County Poisoning Death Review: 2010–2013 (PDF)
• April 30, 2013 News Release — Unintentional Drug Overdose Deaths Poisoning Death Review for 2012 (PDF)
• Access a printable version of the project's Prevent Drug Overdose 8.5 x 11 inch Poster (PDF)
• Access a printable version of the project's Prevent Drug Overdose 11 x 17 inch Poster (PDF)

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Project Reports

• Poisoning Death Review Final Report, 2010-2016 (PDF)
• Poisoning Death Review 2016, Quarter II (PDF)
• Poisoning Death Review 2016, Quarter I (PDF)
• Poisoning Death Review Final Report, 2010–2015 (PDF)
• Poisoning Death Review Final Report, 2010–2014 & 2014 Summary (PDF)
• Poisoning Death Review Summary, 2013 (PDF)
• Poisoning Death Review Summary, 2012 (PDF)
• Year Three Report (PDF)
• Poisoning Death Review Summary, 2011 (PDF)
• Year Two Report (PDF)
• Recommendation on Naloxone Education and Distribution (PDF)
• Montgomery County Residents Hospital Emergency Department Visits for Accidental Overdose on Selected Drugs, 2007-2010 (PDF)
• Year One Report (PDF)
• Poisoning Death Review Summary, 2010 (PDF)
• Prescription Drug Abuse and Diversion: Results of a Survey of Physicians & Dentists (PDF)
• First Responder Attitudes About Naloxone Use for Prevention of Drug Overdose Deaths (PDF)

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State and Federal Data on Fatal Prescription Overdoses

• Unintentional Drug Overdose Death Rates for Ohio Residents by County
• CDC Grand Rounds:  Prescription Drug Overdoses — a U.S. Epidemic
• Community-Based Opioid Overdose Prevention Programs Providing Naloxone (PDF)
• Overdoses of Rx Opioid Pain Relievers — United States, 1999-2008
• The Burden of Poisoning in Ohio, 1999-2008 (PDF)
• Ohio: Fatal Prescription Drug Overdose/Poisoning
• NCHS: Increase in Fatal Poisonings Involving Opioid Analgesics in the United States, 1999–2006 (PDF)
• White House Policy Statement on Rx Drug Abuse

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Miscellaneous Resources

• Probable Relationship between Rx Opioid Abuse and Heroin Use
• Pain Medicine (Special Issue on Deaths Related to Opioids Prescribed for Chronic Pain: Causes and Solutions)
• Ohio Prescription Drug Task Force Final Report (PDF)
• Closing Death’s Door: Action Steps to Facilitate Emergency Opioid Drug Overdose Reversal in the United States (PDF)
• Addressing the problem in Scioto County (PDF)
• How to Dispose of Unused Medications

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Community Symposium on Prescription Drug Abuse

The Center for Interventions, Treatment & Addictions Research collaborated with Public Health — Dayton & Montgomery County to web cast a live Community Symposium on Prescription Drug Abuse on Dec. 9, 2010. Its purpose was to raise awareness in the community at-large about the problem of prescription drug abuse and unintentional drug overdoses by providing information on the nature and extent of the problem, including signs and symptoms, alternatives and how to find help.

• Read the news release (PDF)

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Montgomery County ADAMHS Opiate Task Force Meeting Minutes

• Aug. 27, 2013 (PDF)
• May 23, 2013 (PDF)
• Feb. 26, 2013 (PDF)
• Aug. 28, 2012 (PDF)
• May 18, 2012 (PDF)
• Feb. 28, 2012 (PDF)

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Coalition Meeting Notes

• Dec. 6, 2011 (PDF)
• Sept. 6, 2011 (PDF)
• June 1, 2011 (PDF)
• March 1, 2011 (PDF)
• Dec. 6, 2010 (PDF)
• Nov. 1, 2010 (PDF)
• Sept. 16, 2010 (PDF)
• June 3, 2010 (PDF)

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Montgomery County Unintentional Drug Poisoning Coalition Roster

* Center for Interventions, Treatment & Addictions Research (CITAR) Unintentional Drug Poisoning Project Staff