Project Title
Opioid Use in Pregnant Women
Faculty Mentor(s) Name(s)
Dr. Johnny Moore
Abstract
Background: Opioid use in pregnant women is a high concern in the United States. The number of pregnant women with opioid use disorder at labor and delivery more than quadrupled from 1999 to 2014 and four times as many infants were born with neonatal abstinence syndrome in 2014 than in 1999. Opioid use disorder during pregnancy has been linked with serious negative health outcomes for pregnant women and their babies. Purpose: To analyze studies using the Health Belief Model to examine opioid use in pregnant women to determine the best evidence-based practices and recommendations for future interventions. Methods: Articles and data were obtained using Galileo and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A logic model was used to align theory to practice. Keywords include opioid use, pregnancy, and health belief model. Results: Findings suggested that key themes lead women toward using drugs as a coping mechanism for unplanned pregnancies. This was particularly noted among younger women. Stimuli that are causing such behaviors that are causing such results to include unexpected pregnancy, stress, and personal hardship. Lack of appropriate treatment and difficulty accessing healthcare are barriers that result in opioid use during pregnancy. Women's testimonies highlighted their methods for reducing their risk of being discovered by health or criminal justice authorities, such as social isolation, skipping appointments for treatment, or not receiving any therapy. The lack of appropriate treatment alternatives and difficulty discovering and enrolling in therapy were among the many hurdles mentioned by the women when discussing treatment and healthcare. Implications: To protect the health and well-being of pregnant women and their unborn children, there is a need for education and increasing awareness the implementation of couple-based harm reduction approaches to leverage positive partner influences, the improvement of drug treatment availability, and the provision of family planning interventions for drug-using women.
Opioid Use in Pregnant Women
Background: Opioid use in pregnant women is a high concern in the United States. The number of pregnant women with opioid use disorder at labor and delivery more than quadrupled from 1999 to 2014 and four times as many infants were born with neonatal abstinence syndrome in 2014 than in 1999. Opioid use disorder during pregnancy has been linked with serious negative health outcomes for pregnant women and their babies. Purpose: To analyze studies using the Health Belief Model to examine opioid use in pregnant women to determine the best evidence-based practices and recommendations for future interventions. Methods: Articles and data were obtained using Galileo and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A logic model was used to align theory to practice. Keywords include opioid use, pregnancy, and health belief model. Results: Findings suggested that key themes lead women toward using drugs as a coping mechanism for unplanned pregnancies. This was particularly noted among younger women. Stimuli that are causing such behaviors that are causing such results to include unexpected pregnancy, stress, and personal hardship. Lack of appropriate treatment and difficulty accessing healthcare are barriers that result in opioid use during pregnancy. Women's testimonies highlighted their methods for reducing their risk of being discovered by health or criminal justice authorities, such as social isolation, skipping appointments for treatment, or not receiving any therapy. The lack of appropriate treatment alternatives and difficulty discovering and enrolling in therapy were among the many hurdles mentioned by the women when discussing treatment and healthcare. Implications: To protect the health and well-being of pregnant women and their unborn children, there is a need for education and increasing awareness the implementation of couple-based harm reduction approaches to leverage positive partner influences, the improvement of drug treatment availability, and the provision of family planning interventions for drug-using women.