Positive impacts of an adaptive digital health intervention for patients prescribed opioid analgesics
Overdose deaths involving opioid analgesic (OA) misuse comprised 80% of overdose deaths in the United States in 2021. Patients at risk of OA misuse can be screened for risk reduction interventions during emergency department (ED) clinical encounters. However, behavior change motivation decreases after the ED discharge is completed. Thus, providers need a systematic tool that could address the lack of health services after discharge that may increase OA misuse risk. Providing reinforcement and assistance with decision-making beyond the clinical setting could help address this urgent public health challenge.