Kroger Health, the healthcare business of Cincinatti-based The Kroger Co., and EVERFI from Blackbaud have released updated program results stemming from the companies’ joint Prescription Drug Safety education curriculum for high school students.
The collaboration is celebrating its fifth anniversary and has grown to include 14 geographies across the U.S., reaching more than 100,000 students in 1,300 schools.
Since 2018, Kroger Health and EVERFI have worked together to reduce the number of young adults misusing prescription medications, with a focus on reducing opioid-related deaths in the U.S. The Prescription Drug Safety curriculum shares information about the potential for prescription medication misuse, as well as tools students can use to make safe decisions and understand early warning signs of addiction.
As a result of taking part in this program, over the last five years:
- Eighty percent of students can identify signs of prescription drug misuse;
- Eighty-three percent understand various ways to refuse to participate in misuse of prescription drugs; and
- Seventy-nine percent now feel confident to step in to help someone who demonstrates the signs of misusing or abusing prescription drugs.
“Through the Prescription Drug Safety education curriculum, we’ve educated more than 100,000 students, helping them recognize warning signs and providing resources to support friends who may be abusing or misusing prescription drugs,” said Colleen Lindholz, president, Kroger Health.
“Our goal is to give these students the knowledge and access to resources about drug misuse, empowering them to make choices that will help them lead healthier lives.”
The Prescription Drug Safety education curriculum focuses on educating students and encouraging them to make safe decisions around prescription medications. The curriculum focuses on future behavioral intentions, as students can be exposed to difficult situations and choices throughout high school and beyond.
“Our Prescription Drug Safety curriculum provides students with important information about appropriate prescription drug use and how to avoid or recognize the warning signs of misuse,” said Jon Chapman, president and co-founder, EVERFI.
“With such an interactive and engaging program design, students are learning information that they can take into their lives beyond the classroom to inform healthy choices for the rest of their lives.”
For more information, visit kroger.com/health.
