Opioid Use Response to Colleague

RESPONSE

Responses

Tiffany P.

Tiffany P opted to focus on suicide as the leading cause of death in local jails and federal and state prisons. She points out that population research may be carried out in efforts to better understand the concern. On this front it should be noted that errors in population research may occur owing to selection bias and information bias (Zhong et al. 2021). Information bias may also arise owing to the use of medical and prison records to access information. According to Vanhaesebrouck et al. (2022), medical files and administrative data may not have some data, thus limiting reliability. Apart from using standardized questionnaires and blinding researchers as highlighted by my colleague, there are other ways through which information bias can be avoided. For instance Zhong et al. (2021) suggest the use of structured interviews as sources of data in research to reduce the risk of bias.

Olayinka S.

Olayinka focused on opioid use disorder as the practice gap in nursing practice. According to Wakeman et al. (2020), the increased burden on this front has resulted in increased mortality and morbidity. There is need to further probe opioid use so as to alleviate the said burden. In opioid use disorder research, Olayinka indicates that elderly population may not be represented owing to social stigma. Apart from selection bias among the elderly, the said form of bias may be observed among young adults whereby people in prison, active military personnel, and homeless people may not be represented (Hudgins et al., 2019). According to the authors, such bias may affect the findings reported. To minimize selection bias, Olayinka indicates that high study participants may be included.

References

Hudgins, J. D., Porter, J. J., Monuteaux, M. C. & Bourgeois, F. T. (2019). Prescription Opioid Use and Misuse among Adolescents and Young Adults in the United States: A National Survey Study. PLoS Med, 16(11), e1002922.

Vanhaesebrouck, A., Tostivint, A., Lefèvre, T., Melchior, M., Khireddine-Medouni, I. & Chee, C. C. (2022). Characteristics of Persons Who Died by Suicide in Prison in France: 2017–2018. BMC Psychiatry 22(10), 31-36.