IHS Recognizes International Overdose Awareness Day

August 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day-the largest global movement to end overdose and stigma for all types of substances. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Indian and Alaska Native people experienced the largest percent increase in the age-adjusted rate of drug overdose deaths from 2021 to 2022, with the rate increasing 15.0% from 56.6 to 65.2. The first International Overdose Awareness Day was observed 20 years ago. The purpose of this awareness day is to highlight what individuals face when someone close to them overdoses and to reduce the apathy and stigma of the public towards overdose victims.

An overdose can occur when an individual consumes more than a safe or typical amount of medication or drug. A vast majority of overdose deaths occur due to opioid abuse. Overdose is an international problem and therefore it is important to know the signs and symptoms of an overdose.

Common signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose can include:

• Loss of consciousness
• Pinpoint pupils
• Breathing difficulties (slowed, labored, and/or irregular breathing)
• Respiratory arrest (completely stopped breathing)
• Choking, gurgling, or snoring sounds
• Blue or purple lips or fingertips
• Being unresponsive to loud noises, shaking, or painful stimuli

Overdose is not the only consequence of drug dependence. Shared use of needles and drug injecting equipment can make users vulnerable to hepatitis C and Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Overdose can also lead to disabilities, because when a person is not breathing the brain is not getting oxygen. The longer the individual is not getting oxygen in the brain, the more potential damage can occur.

American Indian and Alaska Native people can be vulnerable when struggling with substance use and have experienced stigma while seeking treatment. Opioid use disorder stigma can further disrupt mental health, discourage seeking help, and restrict access to effective treatment.

Strategies to Reduce Stigma:

• Reinforce use of destigmatizing language
• Join or facilitate stigma reduction campaigns
• Receive or provide education about OUD and overdose
• Promote health equity
• Reform laws, policies, and practices that create barriers to accessing quality care and connect people with opportunities for meaningful treatment and recovery

In order to reduce or eliminate overdose, all must come together in a caring, compassionate, and understanding way. This is a teaching in all Native cultures and it is a sacred way of resiliency and protection.

Resources:

Naloxone | Harm Reduction (ihs.gov) - Naloxone Keeps the Circle Strong
Tribal Action Plan (TAP) | SAMHSA
International Overdose Awareness Day | DEA.gov
Harm Reduction Principles | National Harm Reduction Coalition
What is Harm Reduction? - Harm Reduction International (hri.global)

Cassandra Allen, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, is a public health advisor at Indian Health Service Headquarters in Rockville, Maryland. Allen is responsible for providing programmatic and technical assistance in the administration of IHS opioid initiatives, more specifically, the Community Opioid Intervention Pilot Project within the Office of Clinical and Preventive Services-Division of Behavioral Health.