New Toolkit Aims to Help Educate Women About Prescription Opioids

By HealthyWomen + Allied Against Opioid Abuse (AAOA)

Pain management is not a one-size-fits-all situation. Research shows that women are more likely to be prescribed opioids than men and tend to become persistent users of opioids. Women also make more than 80 percent of health care decisions for their families and are more likely to act as caregivers for family members and keep track of prescriptions.

The unique medical needs of women, coupled with the important responsibilities they have in caring for others, makes education and awareness about prescription opioids especially important. That is why Allied Against Opioid Abuse (AAOA) partnered with HealthyWomen to develop a new suite of resources to help educate women as consumers and caregivers about prescription opioid misuse and abuse.

The partnership aims to address the significant knowledge gap among women around understanding the rights, risks and responsibilities associated with prescription opioid use. The AAOA-HealthyWomen Toolkit includes the following resources:

• Ten Things Women Should Know: A fact sheet on what women should know about prescription opioids, as well as demographic statistics regarding women and opioid use;
• Questions to Ask Your Health Care Provider: A conversation guide to help navigate discussions when talking to a health care provider or pharmacist about prescription opioids; and,
• Safe Storage and Disposal: A resource with information to help ensure opioids are safely and securely stored when a prescription is taken home and properly disposed when no longer needed.

AAOA and HealthyWomen hope that these resources will serve as tools for women to better communicate with their health care providers and family members about the safe use, storage and disposal of prescription opioids.

The AAOA-HealthyWomen Toolkit enhances a growing library of tools, including consumer resources, a patient education video, the AAOA Pharmacy Toolkit and the Pledge to Pause.

To learn more about AAOA and our educational efforts and resources, visit www.AgainstOpioidAbuse.org.