Can Ergonomics Programs Help Solve the Opioid Crisis?

Details

• Personal Author:
  Dale, Ann M. ; Evanoff B ; Macomber M ; O'Reilly M ; Rosen J ; Schneider S
• Description:
  Much attention is being paid to the opioid crisis in the United States, and rightfully so. In 2017, opioid-related overdoses caused 47,600 deaths, an average of 130 every day. More than 2 million people have an opioid misuse disorder, with over a quarter of a million using heroin. The decline in life expectancy in the U.S. between 2014 and 2016 as reported by CDC is due at least in part to the opioid crisis. The tragedy reaches every one of us: mothers and fathers have lost children to opioids, grandparents are raising children who have lost parents, coworkers have lost friends, communities have lost neighbors. Each number related to the crisis represents a heart-wrenching web of loss that could have been avoided. Most of the national response to the crisis focuses on preventing overdose deaths, on providing the best treatment for people with opioid addiction, and on changing prescription practices to prevent new cases of opioid overuse. AIHA and other organizations have also raised awareness about the dangers faced by emergency personnel who may be exposed to opioids while providing treatment. These efforts are necessary and important, but insufficient. We are never going to stop the influx of new opioid users only by changing prescription practices; we need to dig deeper and attack the roots of the problem. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Ergonomics Musculoskeletal Diseases Occupational Health Safety Substance-Related Disorders
• Keywords:
  Drug Abuse Drugs Injuries Injury Prevention MSD Musculoskeletal Disorders Prescription Drugs
• ISSN:
  1066-7660
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Maryland ; OSHA Region 3
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-9
• Volume:
  30
• Issue:
  5
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20062957
• Citation:
  Synergist 2019 May; 30(5):1-9
• Email:
  hardhatscott@gmail.com
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2019
• Performing Organization:
  CPWR - The Center for Construction Research and Training, Silver Spring, Maryland
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20090901
• Source Full Name:
  The Synergist
• End Date:
  20240831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:b34eeabb5c326b8c8e425ecd6a7998f5701dd6306bad8e080a4c110b6cd1516ba29974b4de4a5675162c951744175c0fcfaa724b8c102abc4ddda490e8dc7874
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/226110/cdc_226110_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 679.22 KB ]