Naloxone Kit Instructions Design

CONTEXT

The Emergency Overdose Kit for the Province of Alberta was developed in collaboration with the Harm Reduction Team at Alberta Health Services (AHS) to improve overdose response and accessibility. Naloxone kits are widely distributed across Alberta, with over 2,000 sites offering them free of charge. However, many individuals who use these kits may have little to no medical training and may be encountering the instructions for the first time in a high-stress emergency situation. The project aimed to redesign the kit instructions using universal information design principles to enhance usability and effectiveness.

This work has been recognized internationally, receiving two Universal Design Awards (Expert & Consumer 2021) during the Munich Creative Business Week and a 2020 IIID Silver Award from the International Institute for Information Design (IIID).

APPROACH

• User-Centered Design: The project engaged individuals with lived experience, healthcare professionals, and harm reduction specialists to refine the overdose kit instructions.

• Testing & Evaluation: The redesigned instructions were tested with users in simulated emergency scenarios to assess comprehension and ease of use.

• Iterative Design Process: Feedback from testing was used to continuously improve the clarity and effectiveness of the instructional materials.

KNOWLEDGE DISSEMINATION

• Redesigned instructions have been implemented in all overdose kits distributed in Alberta.

• The project findings have been published in peer-reviewed research:

  • Harvey G., Bubric K. (2020). Information Design to Save Lives: Visualizing Data in the Design of Overdose Kits. HCII 2020. Springer, Cham.

• The project has received international design recognition, including awards from IDD and the Universal Design Competition

• The project has been expanded nationally through the Saving Lives initiative.

DELIVERABLES

• Redesigned overdose kit instructions based on universal design principles.

  • Implementation of improved kits across Alberta (over 195,460 kits distributed as of 2019, with 12,830 overdose reversals reported).

  • National Expansion: The success of this pilot project has led to a national research initiative focused on developing a universal information design response for opioid poisonings.

TIMELINE

• 2016-2019: Initial pilot project in Alberta, with redesigned instructions implemented.

• 2020-2021: International recognition and dissemination of findings.

• September 2021 onwards: Expansion into a national pilot project under the Saving Lives initiative.

For more information about this project, contact Gillian Harvey at gharvey@ualberta.ca.