2024 Incentive Grant Recipient: Kaileigh Collins, PharmD
Project Proposal: College student attitudes and perceptions towards opioid overdose and harm reduction at a large, public university
Kaileigh Collins is a PGY1 Community-based Pharmacy Resident with UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy and Campus Health in chapel Hill, NC. She graduated from Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy.
"Opioid overdose does not discriminate and can affect anyone: first time users, chronic users, prescription use, illicit use, young, or old, on and on. However, this is a topic which is often met with stigma and misconceptions. The way one views overdose and harm reduction can greatly affect the way they would react in an overdose situation or in interacting with someone who has experienced overdose. I am honored and excited to explore the attitudes and perceptions of college students regarding overdose and harm reduction, in hopes to help destigmatize this topic and provide education for these young people."
"Within pharmacy school, I had several work and immersion experiences which greatly grew my love for working with those experiencing substance misuse. However, when I would talk about these experiences, I was often met with negative reaction and stigma. My motivation behind this project is to determine specific attitudes about overdose and harm reduction techniques, so then educational materials can be created and shared to break down these walls and misconceptions."
"I am greatly honored and thankful to receive the APhA Foundation Incentive Grant for this project. I am so excited to know that through this project we may be able to open the mind of just one person, and for me that is more than enough."