Naloxone Training Among Sorority-Affiliated College Students: An Observational Study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Emergency Medicine
• Addiction Science

Background:

• College students face elevated risks for substance use and opioid overdose due to academic and social pressures.
• Sorority affiliation is associated with increased substance misuse among college students.
• Many students are unaware of fentanyl's presence in illicit drugs, increasing overdose risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess college-affiliated sorority students' knowledge of opioids and overdose response before and after an educational intervention.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a lecture combined with hands-on naloxone training.
• To explore students' perceptions of the intervention's impact on their preparedness.

Main Methods:

• An observational pre-post study involving 84 participants.
• Administered pre- and post-intervention knowledge questionnaires on opioids and overdose response.
• Provided a lecture and hands-on intranasal naloxone administration training using simulation.
• Assessed participants' practical skills via a behavioral rubric and their perceptions via a survey.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in posttest scores for overall opioid knowledge, toxicity recognition, and overdose response compared to pretest scores.
• Participants who practiced demonstrated 100% proficiency in simulated opioid overdose response and naloxone administration.
• The intervention effectively enhanced participants' understanding and comfort in responding to opioid overdose events.

Conclusions:

• A combined didactic and hands-on educational approach significantly improved opioid knowledge and overdose response skills in sorority-affiliated college students.
• Implementing routine opioid education and naloxone training in college settings is recommended.
• Further research should examine long-term knowledge retention and real-world skill application.