Interview with Erika Pike, October 2, 2018

Partial Transcript: I'm Erika Pike, a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Kentucky in the Department of Behavioral Science.

Segment Synopsis: Erika Pike describes her background in clinical and community psychology and the lab studies she has conducted on stimulant use disorders. She talks about her interest in studying first responders, because they are typically the first people to respond to an overdose situation. She talks about the interviews she conducted with first responders and healthcare providers in a study designed to look at what is happening on the front lines of the drug crisis in Lexington-Fayette County.

Keywords: Compassion fatigue; Drug overdose; Emergency responders; Fayette County Resource and Needs Assessment; Opioid misuse; Psychology; Secondary trauma; Stimulant use disorders

Subjects: Drug addiction; Emergency medical personnel.; Emergency medical services--Utilization; Emergency medical services.; Emergency medical technicians.; Fayette County (Ky.); Heroin abuse; Intravenous drug abuse; Kentucky; Lexington (Ky.); Medication abuse.; Opioid abuse; Opioid use

Partial Transcript: They're feeling that they are seeing more people.

Segment Synopsis: Pike talks about how emergency responders and other service responders in Fayette County are feeling the increased workload due to the opioid epidemic. She talks about how many first responders feel that more and more people are needing services, and they feel stretched thin. She also talks about how she and her colleagues phrased survey questions to providers in the study.

Keywords: Burnout; Compassion fatigue; Drug overdose; First responders; Healthcare; Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG); Opioid misuse; Secondary trauma

Subjects: Drug addiction; Emergency medical personnel.; Emergency medical services--Utilization; Emergency medical services.; Emergency medical technicians.; Fayette County (Ky.); Heroin abuse; Intravenous drug abuse; Kentucky; Lexington (Ky.); Medication abuse.; Opioid abuse; Opioid use

Partial Transcript: So what are--maybe you could talk about what the--if you had to say like the three main takeaways are, from the study, and then maybe we could talk about emergency responders specifically?

Segment Synopsis: Pike talks about how there is no easy answer for solving the opioid epidemic; that it is a complex problem that requires a complex solution. She also talks about how critical Lexington's needle exchange is, and how important it is to have community access to Narcan. She talks about how cost and transportation issues continue to be major obstacles preventing people from getting the help that they need.

Keywords: Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG); Narcan; Needle exchange programs; Needle exchanges; Opioid misuse

Subjects: Drug abuse--Treatment.; Drug addiction; Drug addiction and recovery; Drug addiction--Treatment.; Fayette County (Ky.); Heroin abuse; Intravenous drug abuse; Kentucky; Lexington (Ky.); Medication abuse.; Opioid abuse; Opioid use; Substance abuse--Patients--Rehabilitation.; Substance abuse--Treatment.

Partial Transcript: So, um, I think, I think one of the things that's such a hurdle with opioid, you know, an opioid use disorder...

Segment Synopsis: Pike talks about the importance of screening and assessing who medication-assisted treatment will work for, as well as increasing access to medication-assisted treatment. She also explains diversion, which is a term meaning non-prescribed use of a medication.

Keywords: Diversion; Fayette County (Ky.); Lexington (Ky.); Medication-assisted treatment; Opioid misuse

Subjects: Drug abuse--Treatment.; Drug addiction; Drug addiction and recovery; Drug addiction--Treatment.; Drugs--Prescribing.; Heroin abuse; Intravenous drug abuse; Kentucky; Medication abuse.; Opioid abuse; Opioid use; Substance abuse--Patients--Rehabilitation.; Substance abuse--Treatment.

Partial Transcript: Okay, my--okay, well, I have one question, too.

Segment Synopsis: Pike stresses that first responders are doing their jobs, and, despite the fact that many of them may feel worn out from all of the increased runs and opioid misuse-related incidents, they aren't stopping. She also talks about the concerns many first responders expressed related to potential exposure to fentanyl and needle sticks.

Keywords: Compassion fatigue; Drug overdose; First responders; Lexington (Ky.); Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG); Opioid misuse; Secondary trauma

Subjects: Drug addiction; Emergency medical personnel.; Emergency medical services--Utilization; Emergency medical services.; Emergency medical technicians.; Fayette County (Ky.); Heroin abuse; Intravenous drug abuse; Kentucky; Medication abuse.; Opioid abuse; Opioid use

Partial Transcript: Um, okay, what are your thoughts, on, you know, two-part question, your just personal thoughts on the future of just opioid use in this country, in Kentucky, in Fayette County, having done all of this research...

Segment Synopsis: Pike discusses the encouraging response from the community, how so many people were willing to talk to her about their experiences, and how a number of organizations and communities really feel that the opioid problem in Lexington-Fayette County can only be curbed by different agencies coming together.

Keywords: Fayette County (Ky.); Lexington (Ky.); Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG); Opioid misuse

Subjects: Drug abuse--Social aspects.; Drug abuse--Treatment.; Drug addiction; Drug addiction and recovery; Drug addiction--Treatment.; Heroin abuse; Intravenous drug abuse; Kentucky; Medication abuse.; Opioid abuse; Opioid use; Substance abuse--Patients--Rehabilitation.; Substance abuse--Social aspects.; Substance abuse--Treatment.

Partial Transcript: Um, and then one last thing that just popped into my head is, did--of the cohort of people that you surveyed, I mean, were doctors a subgroup of that population?

Segment Synopsis: Pike discusses reaching out to doctors, primary care and emergency care doctors, and other healthcare providers. She talks about how opioid misuse is affecting physicians: in particular, seeing an increase in patients with medical complications related to opioid misuse.

Keywords: Compassion fatigue; Emergency care; Healthcare providers; Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG); Opioid misuse; Primary care physicians; Secondary trauma

Subjects: Drug abuse--Social aspects.; Drug addiction; Emergency medical personnel.; Emergency medical services--Utilization; Emergency medical services.; Heroin abuse; Intravenous drug abuse; Kentucky; Medication abuse.; Opioid abuse; Opioid use; Physicians--Kentucky; Substance abuse--Social aspects.