CINCINNATI — Kroger Health has launched a new interactive prescription drug safety course for adults. The free wellness resource is made available through Kroger Health’s relationship with leading social-impact technology innovator EVERFI.

In 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified opioid overdoses as the leading cause of injury-related death in the U.S., taking the lives of more than 67,000 people. Of those deaths, almost 70% involved a prescription or illicit opioid. A contributing factor for the prevalence of opioid misuse in the U.S. is Americans’ perception of prescription drugs as safe simply because they are prescribed by a physician. Kroger Health’s new wellness resource provides patients, caregivers and pharmacy employees with the necessary information to better understand the dangers of misusing prescription drugs.

“At Kroger Health, our vision is to help people live healthier lives,” said Colleen Lindholz, president of Kroger Health. “Providing this new prescription drug safety course for our associates and customers will help them better understand their prescription medication, techniques to properly dispose of that medication, and ways to help family and friends who may be struggling with a prescription misuse disorder.”

The wellness resource uses interactive scenarios and self-guided activities to lead adult prescription drug users through 10 learning modules, covering topics such as using safe disposal methods, recognizing and recovering from an opioid misuse situation, and supporting friends and family suffering from opioid misuse or opioid use disorder. The learning resource is mobile-friendly and designed to simplify vast quantities of information available to provide users with the knowledge they need when they need it.

“Information about prescription drugs is often overwhelming to the average person, who is trying to follow the instructions and take their medication as prescribed,” said Jon Chapman, co-founder and president, EVERFI. “The information that is readily available often speaks to what not to do and doesn’t provide guidance on alternatives. Kroger Health is providing information that educates and guides people through the methods to take their medications safely, an approach that has been missing as we address the opioid crisis.”

Kroger Health’s new resource expands previous work with EVERFI to deliver a high school level prescription drug safety course. In 2018, Kroger Health joined the Prescription Drug Safety Network, a national coalition committed to empowering Americans with the skills and knowledge to make safe decisions about prescription medications through digital education. Through its work with the Prescription Drug Safety Network, Kroger Health has impacted more than 43,000 high school students across the United States.

Kroger Health’s wellness resource is available to all adults at krogerhealth.everfi-next.net.