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The Care of Hospitalized Intravenous Drug Users in 2019

People who inject drugs, particularly opioids, are a growing population, especially in North Philadelphia. This population is at high risk for medical complications that require hospitalization. While hospitalized, this population poses unique challenges to the healthcare system, including high costs and readmission rates, as well as stress and burnout among providers and staff. These patients are at high risk of discharges against medical advice because of complicated social factors as well as inadequate recognition of pain and withdrawal. As the opioid epidemic evolves, previous strategies for managing these patients, which traditionally relied on referral to psychiatry or social work in addition to symptomatic treatment, need to be re-evaluated. Ethically, the decision-making capacity of these patients is frequently called into question, and there is a difficult-to-strike balance between respecting their autonomy and acting with beneficence to provide the best care. There are also public health concerns that come into play. Better acknowledgment of the issues that this population faces, and better management of pain and withdrawal, may improve their outcomes, as well as reduce provider stress and burnout. / Urban Bioethics

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:TEMPLE/oai:scholarshare.temple.edu:20.500.12613/3602
Date January 2019
CreatorsSpivack, Stephanie
ContributorsJones, Nora L.
PublisherTemple University. Libraries
Source SetsTemple University
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis/Dissertation, Text
Format29 pages
RightsIN COPYRIGHT- This Rights Statement can be used for an Item that is in copyright. Using this statement implies that the organization making this Item available has determined that the Item is in copyright and either is the rights-holder, has obtained permission from the rights-holder(s) to make their Work(s) available, or makes the Item available under an exception or limitation to copyright (including Fair Use) that entitles it to make the Item available., http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Relationhttp://dx.doi.org/10.34944/dspace/3584, Theses and Dissertations

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