HJBR Jul/Aug 2022

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE I  JUL / AUG 2022 25 Picayune, Oct. 6, 2017. https://www.nola.com/news/ crime_police/article_934b7d20-a78a-535a-8691- 26cfc7f9bee7.html. 5. Raja, S.N.; Carr, D.B.; Cohen, M.; et al.“The revised InternationalAssociationfortheStudyofPaindefinition of pain: concepts,challenges,and compromises.”Pain 161, no. 9 (Sep 1, 2020): 1976-1982. DOI: 10.1097/j. pain.0000000000001939. 6. Humble, W. “The 5th ‘Vital Sign’ & the Painkiller Epidemic.” Arizona Department of Health Services, July 29,2014. https://directorsblog.health.azdhs.gov/ the-5th-vital-sign-the-painkiller-epidemic-part-i-of-v/. 7. Van Zee, A. “The Promotion and Marketing of OxyContin: Commercial Triumph, Public Health Tragedy.”American Journal of Public Health, 99, no. 2 (Feb.2009).DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2007.131714. 8.CDC data. Dart, R.; Surrat, H.; Cicero,T.J.; et al.“Trends in Opioid Analgesic Abuse and Mortality in the United States.” New England Jounal of Medicine, 372, no. 3 (2015): 241-248.DOI: 10.1056/NEJMsa1406143. Volkow, N; McClellan, A.T. “Opioid Abuse in Chronic Pain — Misconceptions and Mitigation Strategies.” New England Journal of Medicine, 374, no. 13 (2016): 1253-1263.DOI: 10.1056/NEJMra1507771. 9.CDC,National Center for Health Statistics,July 2021 10. DEA. “Sharp Increase in Fake Prescription Pills ContainingFentanylandMeth.”PublicSafetyAlert,Sept. 27, 2021. https://www.dea.gov/alert/sharp-increase- fake-prescription-pills-containing-fentanyl-and-meth. 11.King,N.B.; Fraser,V.; Boikos,C.; et al.“Determinants of increased opioid-related mortality in the United States and Canada, 1990-2013: a systematic review.” American Journal of Public Health, 104, no. 8 (Aug. 2014): e32-42.DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.301966. Compton,W.M.;Jones,C.M.;Baldwin,G.T.“Relationship between Nonmedical Prescription-Opioid Use and Heroin Use.” New England Journal of Medicine, 374 (Jan.14,2016):154-163.DOI:10.1056/NEJMra1508490 12. LDH. “Louisiana Opioid and Data Surveillance System. ”https://lodss.ldh.la.gov/ 13.Vincent, M. &Vidal, O.“Overdose deaths rose 56% during pandemic in Louisiana, CDC reports.”WAFB, Oct. 15, 2021. https://www.wafb.com/2021/10/15/ overdose-deaths-rose-56-during-pandemic-louisiana- cdc-reports/. 14.NewOrleansCoronerpressrelease.“2021Coroner’s Report on Accidental Drug-Related Deaths in New Orleans.” March 20, 2022. http://neworleanscoroner. com/2021-coroners-report-on-accidental-drug- related-deaths-in-new-orleans/. 15.Bicket,M.;White,E.;Wu,C.;etal.“(232)Prescription opioid oversupply following orthopedic surgery: A prospective cohort study.” The Journal of Paint, Abstracts Presented at the 36th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Pain Society, 18, no. 4 (April 2017);S34 .https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2017.02.124. COMMENTS? editor@ushealthcarejournals.com The Greek Myth of Pandora and Her Box Pandora was given a box or a jar, called “pithos” in Greek. The Greek gods told her the box contained special gifts, but she was not allowed to open the box – ever. Pandora could not help herself. She opened the box, and all the illnesses and hardships that the gods had hidden in the box started coming out. Pandora was scared, because she saw all the evil spirits coming out and tried to close the box as fast as possible, closing hope inside. In the next part of this series, we will try to open the box and release HOPE.