The current opioid epidemic in the United States began in the mid-1990s with the introduction of a new drug, OxyContin, viewed as a safer and more effective opiate for chronic pain management. By 2017, the opioid epidemic had become a full-blown crisis as over two million Americans had become dependent on and abused prescription pain pills and street drugs. This book examines the origins, development, and rise of the opioid epidemic in the United States from the perspective of the public policy process. The authors, political scientists Kant Patel and Mark Rushefsky, discuss institutional features of the American political system that impact the making of public policy, arguing that the fragmentation of that system hinders the ability to coherently address policy problems, taking the opioid epidemic as an example. The book begins with a brief historical examination of the history of the problem of opioid addiction and crises in the United States and public policy responses to past crises, but the main focus is on the current national public health emergency. The book analyzes the following: The origins of the current crisis Indicators and warning signs pointing to the emergence of a significant public problem Factors that contributed to the opioid crisis Why the crisis emerged in the United States and not in other Western countries The nature and scope of the opioid crisis, including socioeconomic and demographic characteristics and the human, social, and economic costs Presidential administrations’ public response, and nonresponse, to the opioid crisis Parallels between the role played by opioid manufacturers and tobacco/cigarette manufacturers in creating the problem of addiction, resulting in high mortality rates, and the public policy response to both This book explores the national policy response to the opioid crisis, as well as state and local government responses and separation of powers, including how the three branches of government deal with the opioid problem. The authors conclude with a discussion of how accurate problem definition, problem diagnosis, and appropriate and timely responses could have produced a more appropriate and robust policy response—policy process tools that will be essential in fighting both the current crisis and the next one. The Opioid Epidemic in the United States is essential reading for policy analysis courses in political science, health, and social work programs, as well as for United States policymakers at the local, state, and national levels.

Offering timely guidance on the junction of the opioid crisis and infectious diseases, this practical handbook by Dr. Brianna L. Norton provides concise yet comprehensive coverage of a growing patient population. Infectious disease specialists are increasingly seeing patients who previously used opiods and now use intravenous drugs. Many challenges are unique to this patient population, including new and growing infections such as hepatitis C, endocarditis, HIV, and hepatitis B. The Opioid Epidemic and Infectious Diseases is an up-to-date, real-world guide that covers the scope of the problem, management guidelines, and much more. - Describes the new landscape of the opioid crisis in the U.S. and its intersection with infectious diseases, including epidemiology, Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and rural America, and more. - Offers practical guidance on (OUD) and infectious co-morbidities like hepatitis C, STDs, endocarditis, HIV, and hepatitis B. - Covers prevention, treatment, and harm reduction. - Discusses OUD, infectious diseases, and the criminal justice system. - Consolidates today's available information and guidance into a single, convenient resource.

Karch’s Drug Abuse Handbook, Third Edition remains the quintessential compendium addressing the pharmacological, medical, and legal aspects of drugs and informing the forensic community of the latest scientific advances and emergent practices. For this edition, Dr. Karch has brought on clinical and forensic toxicology expert Dr. Bruce Goldberger, editor-in-chief of the Journal of Analytical Toxicology and president of the American Board of Forensic Toxicology, to serve as co-editor. In addition, world-renowned scientists and medical professionals have contributed their work and expertise in tackling the latest developments in drug testing, drug-related medical emergencies, and the drug toxicology. Topics addressed include genetic testing in drug death investigation, pathology, toxicogenetics, alcohol, post-mortem toxicology, new psychoactive substances, the latest legal issues and challenges as well as drugs and drug testing in sports, and the ethical, legal, and practical issues involved. Vivid pictures and diagrams throughout illustrate the pathological effects of drugs and the chemical make-up and breakdown of abused drugs. With unparalleled detail, the latest research and the highest level of authoritative medical scientific information, The Drug Abuse Handbook, Third Edition remains the definitive resource for drug related issues.

Audisee® eBooks with Audio combine professional narration and sentence highlighting for an engaging read aloud experience! The US has seen an alarming rise in the numbers of people addicted to and overdosing on opioid drugs, including oxycodone, codeine, fentanyl, and heroin. Learn about history of the opioid crisis, the science behind addiction, and how people help those in danger. Read WokeTM Books are created in partnership with Cicely Lewis, the Read Woke librarian. Inspired by a belief that knowledge is power, Read Woke Books seek to amplify the voices of people of the global majority (people who are of African, Arab, Asian, and Latin American descent and identify as not white), provide information about groups that have been disenfranchised, share perspectives of people who have been underrepresented or oppressed, challenge social norms and disrupt the status quo, and encourage readers to take action in their community.

This book investigates the profound and complex impact of the opioid epidemic on schools in the United States, focusing on diverse aspects such as its history, legislative responses, trends, and implications for students, educators, and schools. Sharing research from multiple case studies in elementary schools located in Northeast opioid-crisis regions, the book explores the ripple effects of students' adverse childhood experiences, community and household opioid exposure, transiency, homelessness, attendance, as well as the profound struggles of educators dealing with secondary trauma. Shedding light on the untold stories of young children contending with the consequences of opioid exposure, it foregrounds these voices and stories through the unique perspectives of educators. Additionally, the book examines the developing landscape of initiatives to mitigate the crises' effects on students, emphasizing the need for comprehensive approaches. Finally, the book explores potential interventions and strategies to address the complex issues arising from the opioid epidemic in schools, advocating for a comprehensive, multi-tiered approach involving collaboration among various stakeholders. Through a synthesis of historical context, multiple case studies, qualitative follow-up investigations, and analysis, this book provides a comprehensive understanding of the interconnected challenges posed by the overwhelming impact of the opioid epidemic on education in the United States. It will appeal to scholars, researchers, educational leaders, school administrators, teachers, and post-graduate students with interests in crises education, educational psychology, trauma studies, public health policy, sociology of education, and addiction and substance abuse.

The United States is currently suffering the worst addiction crisis in history. Addiction to opioids, including prescription painkillers, heroin, and illegal synthetic opioids, is ravaging the country, destroying families, homes, and communities in its path. This riveting collection of articles tracks the opioid crisis from its earliest days through the present, aggregating human interest stories with news stories on how the government and public are responding to the epidemic. With such breadth of journalism examining the causes, impact, and response to the crisis, this collection offers readers a comprehensive approach to an unfortunately frequent topic of headlines.

This overview of prescription drug abuse includes historical background, key concepts, and discussion of the prevalence of drug abuse, treatments, and policy issues implicated in ending the epidemic. Prescription opioid medication abuse has been declared a national crisis by experts in medicine, substance use, public health, and pain management, culminating in a declaration made by the President of the United States that opioid misuse and abuse is a national health emergency. In this comprehensive text, expert scholars analyze and address a wide range of issues in, obstacles to, and potential solutions for this emergency, which caused more than 50,000 deaths in 2016 alone. It covers a variety of topics related to prescription misuse from both clinical and academic perspectives. After an opening containing background material on the most commonly misused medications, chapters examine subgroups engaged in misuse and special medical environments where misuse issues are key. They then cover U.S. policy, perspectives outside the U.S., and theories that may explain the misuse phenomena. This book will serve as a resource for students and professionals in fields related to prescription drug abuse—including psychology, sociology, medicine, and public policy—and is accessible to individuals not trained in these fields.

As one of the foundational texts in the Essential Public Health series, Essentials of Public Health, Fourth Edition -- formerly authored by Turnock -- is an excellent introduction to the field of public health, covering public health practice, government public health, and careers in public health. After defining Public Health and looking at the current U.S. public health system and practice, the book looks at population health measurement, policy development, and collaboration between the public health and the health system. Final chapters explore career opportunities in public health administration, epidemiology, public health nursing, and health education as well as emerging ones such as health information technologists, emergency managers, and more. Helpful learning tools such as chapter exercises and discussion questions, making it an ideal text to prepare your students for the profession of public health.

As the preventable disease and economic burden continues to mount for the United States and the world, it is becoming apparent that embracing prevention strategies is essential. Simply continuing on the same course and infrastructure will not suffice. The future we will leave our children is unsustainable without change. Amidst all the partisan political chaos, Integrative Preventive Medicine (IPM) practices are strongly entering the public consciousness since many are dissatisfied with their traditional health (sick) care delivery systems and the scientific validity of IPM is increasing rapidly. This IPM textbook, the first of its kind, authored by nationally recognized thought leaders and edited by the 17th Surgeon General of the United States and the Canyon Ranch Medical Director will serve to bring together the science of IPM so that health practitioners have a ready reference containing practices that can prevent disease, decrease cost of care and improve the quality of life. Our IPM textbook is divided into three sections, Public Health and Evolving Science in IPM, Multidisciplinary Nature of IPM and The IPM Approach of Selected Clinical Problems, providing a continuum of IPM from basic science to clinical science to practical application. This depth and breadth of scientific information and comprehensive approach is a first for a single textbook in IPM. A must read for all health providers and students in order to incorporate these essential concepts into practice.

For more than 30 years, Practical Management of Pain has offered expert guidance to both clinicians and trainees, covering every aspect of acute and chronic pain medicine for adult and pediatric patients. The fully revised 6th Edition brings you fully up to date with new developments in patient evaluation, diagnosis of pain syndromes, rationales for management, treatment modalities, and much more. Edited by a team of renowned pain clinicians led by Dr. Honorio Benzon, this authoritative reference is a comprehensive, practical resource for pain diagnosis and treatment using a variety of pharmacologic and physical modalities. - Presents a wealth of information in a clearly written, easily accessible manner, enabling you to effectively assess and draw up an optimal treatment plan for patients with acute or chronic pain. - Takes a practical, multidisciplinary approach, making key concepts and techniques easier to apply to everyday practice. - Shares the knowledge and expertise of global contributors on all facets of pain management, from general principles to specific management techniques. - Discusses the latest, best management techniques, including joint injections, ultrasound-guided therapies, and new pharmacologic agents such as topical analgesics. - Covers recent global developments regarding opioid induced hyperalgesia, neuromodulation and pain management, and identification of specific targets for molecular based pain. - Includes current information on the use of cannabinoids in pain management and related regulatory, professional, and legal considerations. - Includes the latest guidelines on facet injections and safety of contrast agents. - Provides new, evidence-based critical analysis on treatment modality outcomes and the latest information on chronic pain as a result of surgical interventions. - Enhanced eBook version included with purchase. Your enhanced eBook allows you to access all of the text, figures, and references from the book on a variety of devices.