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How Do Colorado Public Libraries Respond to Patron Queries about Opioid Use Disorder? A Secret Shopper Study.
Carly Kuehl1, Cole Bortz2, Holly Fussner2
1Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, Colorado, USA.
Colorado public libraries offer opioid use disorder (OUD) resources, with most providing valid referrals and over half connecting patrons to medication for OUD treatment. Training could improve resource accessibility.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Information Science
Background:
- Colorado experienced a >400% increase in fatal opioid overdose rates from 2000-2020.
- Public libraries are emerging as crucial community hubs for health information access.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the availability and types of opioid use disorder (OUD) resources in Colorado Public Libraries.
- To evaluate the dissemination of information regarding naloxone and OUD treatment referrals.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 197 Colorado Public Libraries in 2021.
- Anonymous phone-based "secret shopper" audits using a standardized script.
- Descriptive analysis and comparison of OUD resource availability between urban/rural and DPL-affiliated/non-affiliated libraries.
Main Results:
- 81% of libraries provided valid OUD resources; 51% offered referrals to medication for OUD treatment centers.
- 36% of libraries mentioned the statewide naloxone standing order; 10% provided invalid referrals.
- Libraries within the Denver Public Library system more frequently referenced the naloxone standing order.
Conclusions:
- Colorado Public Libraries are a valuable resource for OUD information and referrals.
- Standardized training on OUD resources for library staff could enhance community access to substance use support.
- Further development of library-based OUD resource programs is recommended.
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