title: Intranasal naloxone administration by police first responders is associated with decreased opioid overdose deaths.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study sought to answer the question, "Can police officers administer intranasal naloxone to drug overdose victims to decrease the opioid overdose death rate?"
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective interventional study was conducted in Lorain County, OH, from January 2011 to October 2014. Starting October 2013, trained police officers administered naloxone to suspected opioid overdose victims through a police officer naloxone prescription program (NPP). Those found by the county coroner to be positive for opioids at the time of death and those who received naloxone from police officers were included in this study. The rate of change in the total number of opioid-related deaths in Lorain County per quarter year, before and after initiation of the NPP, and the trend in the survival rate of overdose victims who were given naloxone were analyzed by linear regression. Significance was established a priori at P < .05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data from 247 individuals were eligible for study inclusion. Opioid overdose deaths increased significantly before initiation of the police officer NPP with average deaths per quarter of 5.5 for 2011, 15.3 for 2012, and 16.3 for the first 9 months of 2013. After initiation of the police officer NPP, the number of opioid overdose deaths decreased each quarter with an overall average of 13.4. Of the 67 participants who received naloxone by police officers, 52 (77.6%) survived, and 8 (11.9%) were lost to follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intranasal naloxone administration by police first responders is associated with decreased deaths in opioid overdose victims.
authors.affiliation: Wright State University, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy, Dayton, OH, USA 45435. Electronic address: Jessica.rando718@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rando
authors.affiliation: Wright State University, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy, Dayton, OH, USA 45435. Electronic address: broering.15@wright.edu.
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Broering
authors.affiliation: Wright State University, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy, Dayton, OH, USA 45435. Electronic address: james.olson@wright.edu.
authors.forename: James E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Olson
authors.affiliation: Wright State University, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy, Dayton, OH, USA 45435. Electronic address: Catherine.marco@wright.edu.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marco
authors.affiliation: Lorain County Coroner, 5 South Main St, Suite 304, Oberlin, OH, USA 44074. Electronic address: coronerloraincounty@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Stephen B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009270:Naloxone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000506:poisoning*; D009820:Ohio / Q000453:epidemiology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016495:Police; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D009294:Narcotics; D009270:Naloxone