Educational Activities Archives

Participants will be introduced to the vocabulary of addiction and the root causes of addiction especially in the adolescent, as well as the epidemiology of opioid overdoses and deaths in the United States as a public health phenomenon, with particular attention paid to the decreasing rate of illicit opioid use in adolescents over the past decade. The learner will also, with this background, have reinforced the predicates of opioid misuse in adolescents and, through clinical examples, learn how to recognize possible misuse and address misuse in adolescents seen in a medical setting. Finally, safe prescribing principles will be introduced.

This course provides a framework for decision-making around opioid prescribing in individuals with serious illnesses such as cancer who also have a substance use disorder. Clinicians will learn factors to consider, including pain assessment, substance use history, and prognosis, and when buprenorphine might be appropriate to use as a primary medication for pain in the setting of SUD.

Due to the opioid epidemic, over 2.5 million adults in the U.S. have opioid use disorder (OUD), yet only 25% of those who need treatment receive recommended medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD). Alongside the rising rates of OUD, there has been an increase in infectious diseases such as HIV, hepatitis B and C, endocarditis and skin and soft-tissue infections, particularly among people who inject drugs. These intertwining epidemics have not been sufficiently addressed, but MOUD — combined with appropriate substance use treatment supports and health care services — represents an opportunity to reduce risk and improve health outcomes.

Provides a basic introduction of the concepts of the disease of addiction and the role of the reward system. Using neuroscience concepts as a foundation, clinical manifestations of the disease of addiction are then discussed in the form of case-based presentations. 

Outlines the basic concepts of alcohol and drug use disorders. Standard drink sizes, screening for alcohol use disorders and an introduction to alcohol withdrawal management are discussed. A basic overview of the major drug use disorders are then discussed in a clinically-relevant manner. 

Provides an overview of the history of opioid use with an overview of contributing factors to the current epidemic. Using clinical cases, opioid use disorder is then discussed in detail. Finally, there is a discussion of treatment options.