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Date
2024
Abstract
Safe storage of medications is critical to public health and safety in the state of Maine as well as across the country. Current public health efforts target education and prevention of accidental ingestion of medication by children and animals at home. This has become especially important in Maine with the increasing prevalence of substances used for treatment of opioid use disorder, as well as increasing prevalence of other non-prescription substances including fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. In Lewiston, Maine, interviews with public health leaders, patients, and providers at the Family Medicine Residency at Central Maine Medical Center reiterated concerns for the security of vital medications which are frequently lost or stolen, especially in those struggling with housing insecurity. This project attempted provide an intervention to promote public education, prevent substance misuse and overdose, and encourage patient-provider discussions about safe storage. This project entailed a didactic session to educate Family Medicine residents on the importance of safe medication storage, dissemination of locked medication bags to residents and behavioral health professionals, and placement of an educational display in the patient waiting room of the Family Medicine residency.
Clinical Site
Family Medicine Residency, Lewiston, Maine
Keywords
Maine, Primary Care, Pediatric Poisoning, Opioid, Locked Medication Bags, Storage, Lewiston
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Disciplines
Medical Education | Primary Care
Recommended Citation
Battle, Emily Claire, "Safe Storage: prevention of Drug Misuse and Overdose with Locked Medication Bags" (2024). Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects. 973.
https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/fmclerk/973