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Pharmacist-Led Fentanyl Test Strip Education and Distribution for Veterans in Substance Use Treatment: A Quality Improvement Project.

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Title: Pharmacist-Led Fentanyl Test Strip Education and Distribution for Veterans in Substance Use Treatment: A Quality Improvement Project.
Authors: Rife-Pennington, Tessa (AUTHOR), Douglas, Michael P. (AUTHOR), Pennington, David L. (AUTHOR)
Source: Substance Use & Misuse. 2026, Vol. 61 Issue 11, p1846-1854. 9p.
Subjects: Substance abuse, Health literacy, Drug overdose, Scale analysis (Psychology), Drug adulteration, Patient education, Occupational roles, Research funding, T-test (Statistics), Statistical hypothesis testing, Intranasal administration, United States. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Descriptive statistics, Harm reduction, Longitudinal method, Narcotics, Quality assurance, Data analysis software, Naloxone, Fentanyl, Patient self-monitoring
Geographic Terms: California
Abstract: Background: Unregulated fentanyl use is driving overdose deaths, and fentanyl test strips (FTS) are a tool to support overdose risk reduction. This quality improvement project assessed a novel pharmacist-led model of FTS education and distribution Veterans Affairs (VA) substance use disorder (SUD) care and its association with fentanyl-related knowledge and overdose risk reduction behaviors (ORRBs). Methods: This prospective single-arm cohort project was completed in outpatient SUD clinics at a VA Medical Center. A pharmacist delivered education (fentanyl, opioid overdose risk, FTS use) and offered Veterans FTS and intranasal naloxone. Veterans completed surveys pre-/post-education and at one-month. Pre-/post-changes in fentanyl knowledge, concerns, and planned ORRBs were analyzed using paired t-tests with Cohen's d for effect size. Results: Fifty-seven Veterans (mean age 59.3 years, 100% male) participated (January-October 2020). Most (n = 56, 98.2%) accepted at least one FTS kit, and 25 (43.9%) accepted naloxone. Significant pre-post improvements were observed in knowledge of carfentanil potency (p < 0.001, d = 1.21), fentanyl potency (p < 0.001, d = 0.74), and concern about fentanyl contamination (p < 0.001, d = 0.59). Planned ORRBs improved: keeping naloxone nearby (p < 0.001, d = 0.67); testing non-prescribed opioids for fentanyl (p < 0.001, d = 0.61). Eleven (22.2%) reported using at least one FTS; most positive results were followed by ORRBs. Conclusions: A brief, pharmacist-led FTS education and distribution model was feasible in outpatient VA SUD care and associated with improved knowledge and ORRBs among Veterans. This model may reach Veterans who do not access conventional community-based harm reduction services and supports broader integration of FTS education and distribution in Veteran-focused SUD care to reduce overdose risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Substance Use & Misuse is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Pharmacist-Led Fentanyl Test Strip Education and Distribution for Veterans in Substance Use Treatment: A Quality Improvement Project.
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  Data: Background: Unregulated fentanyl use is driving overdose deaths, and fentanyl test strips (FTS) are a tool to support overdose risk reduction. This quality improvement project assessed a novel pharmacist-led model of FTS education and distribution Veterans Affairs (VA) substance use disorder (SUD) care and its association with fentanyl-related knowledge and overdose risk reduction behaviors (ORRBs). Methods: This prospective single-arm cohort project was completed in outpatient SUD clinics at a VA Medical Center. A pharmacist delivered education (fentanyl, opioid overdose risk, FTS use) and offered Veterans FTS and intranasal naloxone. Veterans completed surveys pre-/post-education and at one-month. Pre-/post-changes in fentanyl knowledge, concerns, and planned ORRBs were analyzed using paired t-tests with Cohen&#39;s d for effect size. Results: Fifty-seven Veterans (mean age 59.3 years, 100% male) participated (January-October 2020). Most (n = 56, 98.2%) accepted at least one FTS kit, and 25 (43.9%) accepted naloxone. Significant pre-post improvements were observed in knowledge of carfentanil potency (p &lt; 0.001, d = 1.21), fentanyl potency (p &lt; 0.001, d = 0.74), and concern about fentanyl contamination (p &lt; 0.001, d = 0.59). Planned ORRBs improved: keeping naloxone nearby (p &lt; 0.001, d = 0.67); testing non-prescribed opioids for fentanyl (p &lt; 0.001, d = 0.61). Eleven (22.2%) reported using at least one FTS; most positive results were followed by ORRBs. Conclusions: A brief, pharmacist-led FTS education and distribution model was feasible in outpatient VA SUD care and associated with improved knowledge and ORRBs among Veterans. This model may reach Veterans who do not access conventional community-based harm reduction services and supports broader integration of FTS education and distribution in Veteran-focused SUD care to reduce overdose risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: &lt;i&gt;Copyright of Substance Use &amp; Misuse is the property of Taylor &amp; Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder&#39;s express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.&lt;/i&gt; (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/10826084.2026.2626837
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 9
        StartPage: 1846
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Substance abuse
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Health literacy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Drug overdose
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Scale analysis (Psychology)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Drug adulteration
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Patient education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Occupational roles
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      – SubjectFull: Research funding
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      – SubjectFull: T-test (Statistics)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Statistical hypothesis testing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Intranasal administration
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: United States. Dept. of Veterans Affairs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
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      – SubjectFull: Harm reduction
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      – SubjectFull: Longitudinal method
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      – SubjectFull: Narcotics
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      – SubjectFull: Quality assurance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Data analysis software
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Naloxone
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      – SubjectFull: Fentanyl
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      – SubjectFull: Patient self-monitoring
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: California
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Pharmacist-Led Fentanyl Test Strip Education and Distribution for Veterans in Substance Use Treatment: A Quality Improvement Project.
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            – D: 01
              M: 09
              Text: 2026
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