Addressing Opioid Safety Concerns of Kentucky First Responders

This application brings together a highly-qualified team of public health researchers to assess a training intervention for Kentucky-based first responders that addresses the gap in knowledge and improves self-efficacy regarding protection from occupational-related opioid exposure. The research proposed in this application seeks to address the gap through the following specific aim: Aim 1: Compare pre and post-intervention knowledge, self-efficacy, outcome expectancies, and opioid exposure among Kentucky first responders of six sites (three rural and three urban EMS, Fire, and Police departments) (N=72). Hypothesis 1a: Post-intervention scores on knowledge, self-efficacy, and outcome expectancies regarding opioid protection will increase by at least two points for all participants. Hypothesis 1b: 90% of participants will report no opioid exposure during the four-week follow-up assessment. Primary outcomes of interest will include knowledge scores regarding knowledge of opioid protection, self-efficacy scores, outcome expectancies, and opioid exposure (pre and post intervention).