Preventing Opioid Use Disorders among Fishing Industry Workers
Walter, Angela ; Morocho, Cesar ; King, Lauren ; Bartlett, John ; Kelsey, Debra ; DeSousa, Monica ; Biesecker, Gretchen ; Punnett, Laura
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Keywords
industry workers
opioid use disorders
prevention
workplace health
UMCCTS funding
Agriculture
Community-Based Research
Community Health and Preventive Medicine
Health Services Administration
Health Services Research
Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene
Substance Abuse and Addiction
Translational Medical Research
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Abstract
Fishing industry workers are at high risk for work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and injuries. Prescription opioids used to treat pain injuries may put these workers at increased risk for developing substance disorders. Using a Community-Based Participatory Research approach, formative research was conducted to inform the eventual development of relevant interventions to prevent and reduce opioid use disorders among fishing industry workers. Qualitative interviews (n = 21) were conducted to assess: knowledge and attitudes about opioid use disorders; features of fishing work that might affect use and/or access to treatment; and community and organizational capacity for prevention and treatment. Participants reported numerous pathways connecting commercial fishing with opioid use. The combination of high stress and physically tasking job duties requires comprehensive workplace interventions to prevent chronic pain and MSDs, in addition to tailored and culturally responsive treatment options to address opioid use disorders in this population. Public health programs must integrate workplace health and safety protection along with evidence-based primary, secondary, and tertiary interventions in order to address opioid use disorders, particularly among workers in strenuous jobs.
Source
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Mar 31;15(4). pii: E648. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15040648. Link to article on publisher's site