Impact of Opioid-Related Emergencies on First Responders

Clinical Center

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Abstract

As opioid-related overdoses continue to mount and chronic pain patients lose access to opioid medications, first responders may increasingly be called to assist people with opioid use disorders and/or chronic pain. For instance, a newspaper article reported that a man overdosed four times in one afternoon and needed five doses of naloxone from first responders. Yet, there is strikingly little research on what it is like for first responders to respond to opioid-related emergencies. In collaboration with the Columbus Division of Fire, we conducted qualitative interviews by phone with willing first responders in Columbus Ohio, to better understand their experiences handling opioid-related emergencies in high-risk communities. Rich data shows the impact of these high-stakes calls on first responders and the various strategies they employ to approach and process such calls. Interviews are complete, data analysis ongoing.