A community outreach program enhances education on opioid and e-cigarette misuse among teenagers

Substance use epidemics, particularly opioids and e-cigarettes, pose a significant public health crisis, especially among minors. To address opioid and e-cigarette epidemics among young individuals, the Substance Use Prevention (SUP) program educated high school students in southeast Michigan. Through a medical student-led intervention, we implemented interactive educational methods to deliver evidence-based information on the risks associated with these substances.

A non-randomized pre- and post-test quasi-experimental study design assessed the impact of the SUP interventions on the high school students' understanding of addiction mechanisms, health consequences, and prevention strategies. We assessed baseline knowledge (pre-intervention questionnaires), demographic factors, and post-intervention knowledge.

Data analysis among 100 students from four high schools revealed that while students started with varied levels of baseline knowledge, they reported significantly higher confidence in their opioid (p < 0.0001) and e-cigarette (p < 0.0001) knowledge after the intervention. Students significantly (p < 0.05) improved their ability to recognize causes of overdose (scoring 65% vs. 78%), risk factors (21%-84%), and naloxone as emergency treatment (38%-80%) after the intervention.

Subjects showed no changes in individual knowledge of e-cigarettes, which we attribute to school-specific variances and/or high baseline knowledge. The difference in knowledge among schools may be due to disparities in race and differences in socioeconomic status, as shown by the increased poverty level. This study evidenced the importance of raising awareness among adolescents to improve their learning and comprehension of the causes and consequences of substance misuse by sharing medically focused explanations of substances as well as the economic and societal impact.