Student pharmacists' attitudes, perceptions, and knowledge regarding opioid use, misuse, and overdose: Four years of...

The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy has urged pharmacy faculty to commit to actions to reduce the public health threat from opioid use and misuse. Optimizing student pharmacist training necessitates understanding changes in their attitudes and perceptions over time. This study assessed student attitudes, perceptions, and understanding of addiction, opioid use and misuse, and opioid overdose over four sequential years, from 2016 to 2019.

The participants were third-professional year doctor of pharmacy students enrolled in a required course. Participants voluntarily completed a 27-statement survey to determine student attitudes, perceptions, and understanding.

A total of 452 participants completed the survey (response rate = 76.5%). Of the 27 survey items, five survey statements showed year on year positive increases in specific student attitudes towards addiction, hopefulness for its treatment, and confidence to use and train opioid overdose reversal agents. These yearly changes did not appear to be related to any changes in the academic aptitude of the students. The 22 remaining statements showed positive and stable attitudes towards self-perceived understanding of opioid use and misuse, hopefulness for its treatment, and the role of pharmacists.

To our knowledge, this is the first large multiyear assessment of student pharmacists' attitudes, perceptions, and understanding of opioid use, misuse, and overdose. The data indicate favorable and improving attitudes. Knowledge of student attitudes, perceptions, and understanding regarding opioid use, misuse, and overdose will aid in the development of effective training programs for students in our, and other colleges of pharmacy.