Reported outcomes from a community naloxone training and distribution program

Abstract

The United States opioid epidemic is an enormous public health crisis, claiming over 500,000 lives between 1999 and 2020. However, the increased availability of naloxone has saved many lives and led to the development of community-based naloxone training and distribution programs. We developed a naloxone education and distribution program in New Jersey in 2017. This program provides a 60-minute training for community members in various settings, such as police departments, community centers, etc. Participants were instructed to call the training and distribution program if they used their naloxone kit, and the program would replace it. Callers were asked a short survey about behaviors during the naloxone administration and overdose outcome. From January 2018 through June 2022, 191 calls to report an overdose and request a new kit were received. Overall, 70 (37 %) of the reported naloxone administrations were by police, 38 (20 %) family/friends, and 50 (26 %) strangers. The most common actions taken during the overdose included: 162 (85 %) calling EMS; 161 (84 %) staying with the person who overdosed until EMS arrived; and 131 (69 %) checking the individual who overdosed for signs of breathing. Individuals who helped with an overdose were able to revive the person in 172 (90 %) of the reported overdoses. Our data suggests that participants in these programs will use naloxone for opioid overdoses whether the victim is known to the participant or a stranger. Future research should focus on understanding outcomes of and behaviors during overdose episodes that are not reported to the program.

Keywords: Naloxone; Opioid; Overdose; Training.