Panel Discussion: Global Perspective on How Other Countries Can Learn from the Trajectory of the Opioid Epidemic in North America

Dr Battaglia will act as a discussant of the three presentations (Rabbitts, Voepel-Lewis, Darnall). In tying the 3 presentations together, he will emphasize how chronic pain and mental health issues constitute risk factors for the opioid epidemic, and how adolescence and youth are critical windows of both risk and opportunity. The latter include prevention, and treatment of adolescent youth (Rabbitts) and education and intervention at the family-wide level (Voepel-Lewis). When moving into adult and clinical samples (Darnall), specific scalable behavioral interventions for opioid and pain reduction become necessary, including brief and digital interventions for acute and chronic pain. Dr Battaglia will also bring a more global perspective, considering how other countries can learn from the trajectory of the opioid epidemics in North America, followed by leading a group discussion.