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Knight KR. The Clinical Evolutions of Surveillance and Violence During Three Contemporary US Crises: Opioid Overdose, COVID-19, and Racial Reckoning. Cult Med Psychiatry 2024; 48:470-487. [PMID: 38227118 PMCID: PMC11362391 DOI: 10.1007/s11013-023-09842-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
In 2020, three crises coalesced to transform the clinical care landscape of addiction medicine in the United States (US). The opioid overdose crisis (crisis #1), which had been contributing to excess US mortality for over two decades, worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic (crisis #2). The racial reckoning (crisis #3) spurred by the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police impacted clinical care, especially in safety net clinical settings where the majority of people targeted by police violence, and other forms of structural violence, receive healthcare to mend both physical and psychological wounds. Collectively, the three crises changed how providers and patients viewed their experiences of clinical surveillance and altered their relationships to the violence of US healthcare. Drawing from two different research studies conducted during the years preceding and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2017-2022) with low income, safety net patients at risk for opioid overdose and their care providers, I analyze the relationship between surveillance and violence in light of changes wrought by these three intersecting health and social crises. I suggest that shifting perceptions about surveillance and violence contributed to clinical care innovations that offer greater patient autonomy and transform critical components of addiction medicine care practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Ray Knight
- Dept. of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
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Plesons M, Malecki E, Ciraldo K, Ashbes E, Suarez E, Tookes HE, Bartholomew TS. Accessibility of methadone treatment via public transit for syringe services program participants in Miami-Dade County, Florida. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4791074. [PMID: 39257978 PMCID: PMC11384030 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4791074/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2024]
Abstract
Methadone is an opioid receptor agonist medication used in the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD). Geographic distance to opioid treatment programs (OTPs) is a major barrier to treatment, given requirements for direct observation of dosing and periodic drug screens, and 'methadone treatment deserts' are defined as a public transit threshold of 30 minutes. The purpose of this study was to examine public transit access to methadone treatment for participants of a syringe services program (SSP) in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Public transit times were calculated using the R library r5r, which facilitates multi-modal transportation network routing. General Transit Feed Specification data was combined with street network data from OpenStreetMap for Miami-Dade County. Transit times were estimated from the population-weighted centroid of each zip code (n=79) with participants of Miami's only SSP (n=1597) to the nearest OTP (n=4) using 10 departure windows aligned with OTP service hours. The mean one-way transit time from zip codes with SSP participants in Miami-Dade County to the nearest OTP was 80 minutes. 75 of the 79 (95%) zip codes with SSP participants in Miami-Dade County have a mean transit time to the closest OTP greater than 30 minutes. Transit times differ substantially between zip codes with different numbers of SSP participants, but not between departure windows. Nearly all zip codes with SSP participants in Miami-Dade County can be classified as 'methadone treatment deserts'. Geographic isolation of methadone treatment from public transit routes represents a significant barrier to equitable OUD treatment.
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Ascunce Gonzalez K, Swartz N, Linares MA, Gelpí-Acosta C, Chatterjee A. Latine perspectives on the impact of family, perceptions of medication, health systems, incarceration, and housing on accessing opioid agonist therapy: A thematic analysis. JOURNAL OF SUBSTANCE USE AND ADDICTION TREATMENT 2024; 167:209491. [PMID: 39179210 DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2024.209491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2024] [Revised: 07/28/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/26/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Opioid-related overdose deaths rates among Latine individuals are increasing rapidly and, in Massachusetts, have exceeded rates among non-Hispanic White individuals. Yet Latine individuals are less likely to receive opioid agonist therapies (OAT) methadone and buprenorphine, which have been demonstrated to prevent opioid deaths. Amid climbing Latine overdose rates, we lack qualitative data from Spanish-speaking people who use opioids about their views on and access to OAT. In this paper, we sought to assess variables affecting Latine individuals' initiation of OAT. METHODS We conducted 21 semi-structured interviews - half in Spanish - with Latine-identifying individuals recruited from four locations-three residential treatment sites and one city shelter-in Boston offering services to people who use drugs. We utilized thematic analysis to identify barriers and facilitators to starting and continuing OAT. RESULTS The following themes - which cut across individual-, interpersonal-, and systems-level variables - emerged as core considerations shaping Latine participants' OAT engagement: (1) family, (2) medication desirability and accessibility, (3) health care resources, (4) housing stability, and (5) incarceration. First, family members were prominent interpersonal influences on participants' treatment decisions. For some participants, family introduced participants to opioids at young ages and later supported them in recovery. Second, engagement with OAT was shaped by individual-level opinions on the medications as well as by systems-level experiences with trying to access the medications. Participants identified benefits and drawbacks of methadone versus buprenorphine, with greater access difficulties for methadone. Third, the health care setting in Boston provided notable systems-level facilitators to OAT access, including outreach workers, Medicaid, and Spanish-speaking providers. Fourth, housing instability impeded some from accessing OAT while motivating others to initiate the medications. Finally, incarceration created systems-level barriers to OAT engagement. Most participants had been incarcerated in jail or prison but did not have access to OAT during incarceration or during their transition back to the community. CONCLUSIONS Approaches to increase OAT engagement among Latine individuals should consider integrating family into recovery pathways, tailoring information in Spanish, developing bilingual/bicultural staffing, ensuring supportive insurance coverage systems, addressing housing needs, and making OAT available for individuals involved in the legal system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina Ascunce Gonzalez
- Harvard University, 16 Divinity Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Yale University, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, 260 Whitney Ave, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
| | - Natalie Swartz
- Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck St, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Miguel A Linares
- Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck St, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Division of General Internal Medicine and Primary Care, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02130, USA.
| | - Camila Gelpí-Acosta
- LaGuardia Community College and Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research, 708, Broadway, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Avik Chatterjee
- Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck St, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Boston Medical Center and Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, 801 Massachusetts Ave, Boston, MA 02119, USA.
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Aleksanyan J, Choi S, Lincourt P, Burke C, Ramsey KS, Hussain S, Jordan AE, Morris M, D’Aunno T, Glied S, McNeely J, Elbel B, Mijanovich T, Adhikari S, Neighbors CJ. Lost in transition: A protocol for a retrospective, longitudinal cohort study for addressing challenges in opioid treatment for transition-age adults. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0297567. [PMID: 39141672 PMCID: PMC11324150 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the United States, there has been a concerning rise in the prevalence of opioid use disorders (OUD) among transition-age (TA) adults, 18 to 25-years old, with a disproportionate impact on individuals and families covered by Medicaid. Of equal concern, the treatment system continues to underperform for many young people, emphasizing the need to address the treatment challenges faced by this vulnerable population at a pivotal juncture in their life course. Pharmacotherapy is the most effective treatment for OUD, yet notably, observational studies reveal gaps in the receipt of and retention in medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), resulting in poor outcomes for many TA adults in treatment. Few current studies on OUD treatment quality explicitly consider the influence of individual, organizational, and contextual factors, especially for young people whose social roles and institutional ties remain in flux. METHODS We introduce a retrospective, longitudinal cohort design to study treatment quality practices and outcomes among approximately 65,000 TA adults entering treatment for OUD between 2012 and 2025 in New York. We propose to combine data from multiple sources, including Medicaid claims and encounter data and a state registry of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment episodes, to examine three aspects of OUD treatment quality: 1) MOUD use, including MOUD option (e.g., buprenorphine, methadone, or extended-release [XR] naltrexone); 2) adherence to pharmacotherapy and retention in treatment; and 3) adverse events (e.g., overdoses). Using rigorous analytical methods, we will provide insights into how variation in treatment practices and outcomes are structured more broadly by multilevel processes related to communities, treatment programs, and characteristics of the patient, as well as their complex interplay. DISCUSSION Our findings will inform clinical decision making by patients and providers as well as public health responses to the rising number of young adults seeking treatment for OUD amidst the opioid and polysubstance overdose crisis in the U.S.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josh Aleksanyan
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Sugy Choi
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Patricia Lincourt
- New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS), Albany, New York, United States of America
| | - Constance Burke
- New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS), Albany, New York, United States of America
| | - Kelly S. Ramsey
- New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS), Albany, New York, United States of America
| | - Shazia Hussain
- New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS), Albany, New York, United States of America
| | - Ashly E. Jordan
- New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS), Albany, New York, United States of America
| | - Maria Morris
- New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS), Albany, New York, United States of America
| | - Thomas D’Aunno
- New York University Wagner School of Public Policy, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Sherry Glied
- New York University Wagner School of Public Policy, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Jennifer McNeely
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Brian Elbel
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
- New York University Wagner School of Public Policy, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Tod Mijanovich
- Department of Applied Statistics, Social Science, and Humanities, New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Samrachana Adhikari
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Charles J. Neighbors
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States of America
- New York University Wagner School of Public Policy, New York, New York, United States of America
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Takemoto E, Bolton A, Goetz CT. Inequities in naloxone administration among fatal overdose decedents by race and ethnicity in Pennsylvania, 2019-21. Addiction 2024; 119:1400-1409. [PMID: 38808397 DOI: 10.1111/add.16478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
AIMS The aim of this study was to characterize the circumstances of drug overdose deaths and determine whether naloxone administration differed by overdose decedent race and ethnicity. DESIGN AND SETTING Analysis of data on unintentional and undetermined intent drug overdose deaths in Pennsylvania (2019-21) was collected from death certificates and the State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System. Multivariable logistic regression models were adjusted for overdose death circumstances and the odds of naloxone administration were estimated by race/ethnicity and year. CASES The analytical sample included 3386 fatal overdose decedents in 2019, 3864 in 2020 and 3816 in 2021. MEASUREMENTS Evidence of naloxone administration (yes/no) was defined using scene evidence and toxicology reports from coroner and medical examiner records, while race/ethnicity (Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black, non-Hispanic White) was based on the death certificate. FINDINGS In the analytic sample, overdose death rates were the highest among Black people and increased over time (rate per 10 000 population, 2019: 4.3; 2020: 6.1; 2021: 6.5); rates were lowest among White people and remained constant over time (rate per 10 000 population, 2019: 2.6; 2020: 2.7; 2021: 2.6). Throughout all years, Black decedents had approximately 40-50% lower odds of naloxone administration compared with White decedents as referent [2019: odds ratio (OR) = 0.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.5-0.9; 2020: OR = 0.5, 95% CI = 0.4-0.7; 2021: OR = 0.6, 95% CI = 0.5-0.8], while Hispanic decedents had similar odds of naloxone administration to that of White decedents. CONCLUSION After controlling for overdose circumstances in drug overdose deaths in Pennsylvania, USA, from 2019 to 2021, Black people had lower odds of naloxone administration compared with White people, while there were no differences between Hispanic and White people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Takemoto
- Office of Drug Surveillance and Misuse Prevention, Pennsylvania Department of Health, Harrisburg, PA, USA
- Bureau of Epidemiology, Pennsylvania Department of Health, Harrisburg, PA, USA
| | - Ashley Bolton
- Office of Drug Surveillance and Misuse Prevention, Pennsylvania Department of Health, Harrisburg, PA, USA
| | - Carrie Thomas Goetz
- Office of Drug Surveillance and Misuse Prevention, Pennsylvania Department of Health, Harrisburg, PA, USA
- Bureau of Epidemiology, Pennsylvania Department of Health, Harrisburg, PA, USA
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Ezell JM, Pho MT, Ajayi BP, Simek E, Shetty N, Goddard-Eckrich DA, Bluthenthal RN. Opioid use, prescribing and fatal overdose patterns among racial/ethnic minorities in the United States: A scoping review and conceptual risk environment model. Drug Alcohol Rev 2024; 43:1143-1159. [PMID: 38646735 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
ISSUES To date, there has been no synthesis of research addressing the scale and nuances of the opioid epidemic in racial/ethnic minority populations in the United States that considers the independent and joint impacts of dynamics such as structural disadvantage, provider bias, health literacy, cultural norms and various other risk factors. APPROACH Using the "risk environment" framework, we conducted a scoping review on PubMed, Embase and Google Scholar of peer-reviewed literature and governmental reports published between January 2000 and February 2024 on the nature and scale of opioid use, opioid prescribing patterns, and fatal overdoses among racial/ethnic minorities in the United States, while also examining macro, meso and individual-level risk factors. KEY FINDINGS Results from this review illuminate a growing, but fragmented, literature lacking standardisation in racial/ethnic classification and case reporting, specifically in regards to Indigenous and Asian subpopulations. This literature broadly illustrates racial/ethnic minorities' increasing nonmedical use of opioids, heightened burdens of fatal overdoses, specifically in relation to polydrug use and synthetic opioids, with notable elevations among Black/Latino subgroups, in addition uneven opioid prescribing patterns. Moreover, the literature implicates a variety of unique risk environments corresponding to dynamics such as residential segregation, provider bias, overpolicing, acculturative stress, patient distrust, and limited access to mental health care services and drug treatment resources, including medications for opioid use disorder. IMPLICATIONS There has been a lack of rigorous, targeted study on racial/ethnic minorities who use opioids, but evidence highlights burgeoning increases in usage, especially polydrug/synthetic opioid use, and disparities in prescriptions and fatal overdose risk-phenomena tied to multi-level forms of entrenched disenfranchisement. CONCLUSION There is a need for further research on the complex, overlapping risk environments of racial/ethnic minorities who use opioids, including deeper inclusion of Indigenous and Asian individuals, and efforts to generate greater methodological synergies in population classification and reporting guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerel M Ezell
- Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, USA
- Berkeley Center for Cultural Humility, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, USA
| | - Mai T Pho
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases and Global Health, University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, USA
| | - Babatunde P Ajayi
- Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, USA
| | - Elinor Simek
- Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, USA
- Berkeley Center for Cultural Humility, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, USA
| | - Netra Shetty
- University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, USA
| | | | - Ricky N Bluthenthal
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
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Shrestha S, Stopka TJ, Hughto JMW, Case P, Palacios WR, Reilly B, Green TC. LatinX harm reduction capital, medication for opioid use disorder, and nonfatal overdose: A structural equation model analysis among people who use drugs in Massachusetts. Drug Alcohol Depend 2024; 259:111293. [PMID: 38643530 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.111293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We introduce the concept of harm reduction capital (HRCap) as the combination of knowledge, resources, and skills related to substance use risk reduction, which we hypothesize to predict MOUD use and opioid overdose. In this study, we explored the interrelationships between ethnicity, HRCap, nonfatal overdose, and MOUD use among PWUD. METHODS Between 2017 and 2019, people who currently or in the past used opioids and who lived in Massachusetts completed a one-time survey on substance use history, treatment experiences, and use of harm reduction services. We fit first-order measurement constructs for positive and negative HRCap (facilitators and barriers). We used generalized structural equation models to examine the inter-relationships of the latent constructs with LatinX self-identification, past year overdose, and current use of MOUD. RESULTS HRCap barriers were positively associated with past-year overdose (b=2.6, p<0.05), and LatinX self-identification was inversely associated with HRCap facilitators (b=-0.49, p<0.05). There was no association between overdose in the past year and the current use of MOUD. LatinX self-identification was positively associated with last year methadone treatment (b=0.89, p<0.05) but negatively associated with last year buprenorphine treatment (b=-0.68, p<0.07). Latinx PWUD reported lower positive HRCap than white non-LatinX PWUD and had differential utilization of MOUD. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that a recent overdose was not associated with the current use of MOUD, highlighting a severe gap in treatment utilization among individuals at the highest risk. The concept of HRCap and its use in the model highlight substance use treatment differences, opportunities for intervention, and empowerment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shikhar Shrestha
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States.
| | - Thomas J Stopka
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jaclyn M W Hughto
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, United States; Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, United States; Center for Health Promotion and Health Equity, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Patricia Case
- Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Wilson R Palacios
- School of Criminology & Justice Studies, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA, United States
| | - Brittni Reilly
- Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Addiction Services, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Traci C Green
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, United States; Opioid Policy Research Collaborative, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States; Department of Emergency Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
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Irani E, Macleod C, Slat S, Kehne A, Madden E, Jaffe K, Bohnert A, Lagisetty P. The effect of a pilot brief educational intervention on preferences regarding treatments for opioid use disorder. DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE REPORTS 2024; 11:100235. [PMID: 38737490 PMCID: PMC11087910 DOI: 10.1016/j.dadr.2024.100235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Purpose Negative perceptions around medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) amongst the public could deter patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) from engaging with MOUD. Thus, we evaluated whether a brief intervention could improve preferences for MOUD in people who may or may not use opioids. Methods We employed a pre-post design to assess the effect of a brief educational intervention on preferences for methadone, buprenorphine, naltrexone, and non-medication treatment in an online sample of US adults stratified by race, who may or may not use opioids. Respondents ranked their preferences in OUD treatment before and after watching four one-minute educational videos about treatment options. Changes in treatment preferences were analyzed using Bhapkar's test and post hoc McNemar's tests. A binary logistic generalized estimating equation (GEE) assessed factors associated with preference between treatments. Results The sample had 530 responses. 194 identified as White, 173 Black, 163 Latinx. Treatment preferences changed significantly towards MOUD (p<.001). This effect was driven by changes toward buprenorphine (OR=2.38; p<.001) and away from non-medication treatment (OR=0.20; p<.001). There was no significant difference in effect by race/ethnicity. People with lower opioid familiarity were significantly more likely to change their preferences towards MOUD following the intervention. Conclusion Respondent preferences for MOUD increased following the intervention suggesting that brief educational interventions can change treatment preferences towards MOUD. These findings offer insights into perceptions of OUD treatment in a racially stratified sample and serve as a foundation for future educational materials that target MOUD preferences in the general public.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emaun Irani
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Colin Macleod
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- VA Center for Clinical Management Research (CCMR), VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Stephanie Slat
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Adrianne Kehne
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Erin Madden
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, Wayne State University, 3939 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Kaitlyn Jaffe
- Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Amy Bohnert
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- VA Center for Clinical Management Research (CCMR), VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Pooja Lagisetty
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- VA Center for Clinical Management Research (CCMR), VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Aronowitz SV, French R, Schachter A, Seeburger E, O'Donnell N, Perrone J, Lowenstein M. Mapping Buprenorphine Access at Philadelphia Pharmacies. J Addict Med 2024; 18:269-273. [PMID: 38345212 PMCID: PMC11150095 DOI: 10.1097/adm.0000000000001284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Buprenorphine is not reliably stocked in many pharmacies, and pharmacy-level barriers may deter patients from opioid use disorder care. We surveyed all outpatient pharmacies in Philadelphia to describe variation in buprenorphine access and developed a map application to aid in identifying pharmacies that stock the medication. METHODS Using a dataset from the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, we conducted a telephone survey of operating outpatient pharmacies (N = 422) about their buprenorphine stocking and dispensing practices. We used ArcGIS Pro 3.0.3 to join US Census Bureau ZIP code-level race and ethnicity data, conduct descriptive analyses, and create a map application. RESULTS We collected data from 351 pharmacies (83% response rate). Two hundred thirty-eight pharmacies (68%) indicated that they regularly stock buprenorphine; 6 (2%) would order it when a prescription is sent. Ninety-one (26%) said that they do not stock or order buprenorphine, and 16 (5%) were unsure. We identified 137 "easier access" pharmacies (39%), meaning they regularly stock buprenorphine, dispense to new patients, and have no dosage maximums. Zip codes with predominantly White residents had a median (interquartile range) of 3 (2-4) "easier access" pharmacies, and those with predominantly Black residents a median (interquartile range) of 2 (1-4.5). Nine zip codes had no "easier access" pharmacies, and 3 had only one; these 3 zip codes are areas with predominantly Black residents. CONCLUSIONS Buprenorphine access is not equitable across Philadelphia and a quarter of pharmacies choose not to carry the medication. Our map application may be used to identify pharmacies in Philadelphia that stock buprenorphine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoshana V Aronowitz
- From the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA (SA); University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA (RF, AS, ES, NO, JP, ML); University of Pennsylvania Center for Emergency Care Policy and Research, Philadelphia, PA (ES); University of Pennsylvania Urban Health Lab, Philadelphia, PA (SA, ES); and University of Pennsylvania Center for Addiction Medicine and Policy, Philadelphia, PA (SA, RF, NO, JP, ML)
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Mason I, Abdelwahab M, Stiles A, Wu J, Venkatesh KK, Rood KM. Association between Individual versus Community-level Social Vulnerability and Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome among Pregnant Individuals Receiving Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder. Am J Perinatol 2024; 41:e3157-e3163. [PMID: 37890511 DOI: 10.1055/a-2200-3187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Individual patient-level measures of adverse social determinants of health are associated with neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS), but the relative impact of community-level adverse social determinants of health remains to be defined. We examined the association between community-level social vulnerability and NOWS among pregnant individuals receiving buprenorphine for opioid use disorder. STUDY DESIGN We conducted a secondary analysis of an established cohort of pregnant individuals and their infants participating in a multidisciplinary prenatal/addiction care program from 2013 to 2021. Addresses were geocoded using ArcGIS and linked at the census tract to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2018 Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), incorporating 15 census variables. The primary exposure was the SVI as a composite measure of community-level social vulnerability, and secondarily, individual scores for four thematic domains (socioeconomic status, household composition and disability, minority status and language, and housing type and transportation). The primary outcome was a clinical diagnosis of NOWS defined as withdrawal requiring pharmacological treatment following buprenorphine exposure. RESULTS Among 703 pregnant individuals receiving buprenorphine, 39.8% (280/703) of infants were diagnosed with NOWS. Among our patinets, those who were nulliparous, had post-traumatic stress disorder, a term birth (≥ 37 weeks) and had a male infant were more likely to have an infant diagnosed with NOWS. Individuals with and without an infant diagnosed with NOWS had similarly high community-level social vulnerability per composite SVI scores (mean [standard deviation]: 0.6 [0.4-0.7] vs. 0.6 [0.4-0.7], p = 0.2]. In adjusted analyses, SVI, as a composite measure as well as the four domains, was not associated with NOWS diagnosis. CONCLUSION Among pregnant persons receiving buprenorphine enrolled in a multidisciplinary prenatal and addition care program, while individual risk factors that measure adverse social determinants of health were associated with an NOWS diagnosis in the infant, community-level social vulnerability as measured by the SVI was not associated with the outcome. KEY POINTS · Community-level SVI was not associated with neonatal opioid use disorder.. · Certain individual risk factors were identified as being associated with NOWS.. · Homogeneity of composite SVI scores may have led to lack of significant findings..
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Mason
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Mahmoud Abdelwahab
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Alexandra Stiles
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Jiqiang Wu
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Kartik K Venkatesh
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Kara M Rood
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio
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11
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Workman TE, Kupersmith J, Ma P, Spevak C, Sandbrink F, Cheng Y, Zeng-Treitler Q. A Comparison of Veterans with Problematic Opioid Use Identified through Natural Language Processing of Clinical Notes versus Using Diagnostic Codes. Healthcare (Basel) 2024; 12:799. [PMID: 38610221 PMCID: PMC11011599 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12070799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Opioid use disorder is known to be under-coded as a diagnosis, yet problematic opioid use can be documented in clinical notes, which are included in electronic health records. We sought to identify problematic opioid use from a full range of clinical notes and compare the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients identified as having problematic opioid use exclusively in clinical notes to patients documented through ICD opioid use disorder diagnostic codes. We developed and applied a natural language processing (NLP) tool that combines rule-based pattern analysis and a trained support vector machine to the clinical notes of a patient cohort (n = 222,371) from two Veteran Affairs service regions to identify patients with problematic opioid use. We also used a set of ICD diagnostic codes to identify patients with opioid use disorder from the same cohort. The NLP tool achieved 96.6% specificity, 90.4% precision/PPV, 88.4% sensitivity/recall, and 94.4% accuracy on unseen test data. NLP exclusively identified 57,331 patients; 6997 patients had positive ICD code identifications. Patients exclusively identified through NLP were more likely to be women. Those identified through ICD codes were more likely to be male, younger, have concurrent benzodiazepine prescriptions, more comorbidities, and more care encounters, and were less likely to be married. Patients in both these groups had substantially elevated comorbidity levels compared with patients not documented through either method as experiencing problematic opioid use. Clinicians may be reluctant to code for opioid use disorder. It is therefore incumbent on the healthcare team to search for documentation of opioid concerns within clinical notes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terri Elizabeth Workman
- Washington DC VA Medical Center, Washington, DC 20422, USA
- Biomedical Informatics Center, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| | - Joel Kupersmith
- School of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - Phillip Ma
- Washington DC VA Medical Center, Washington, DC 20422, USA
- Biomedical Informatics Center, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| | | | | | - Yan Cheng
- Washington DC VA Medical Center, Washington, DC 20422, USA
- Biomedical Informatics Center, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| | - Qing Zeng-Treitler
- Washington DC VA Medical Center, Washington, DC 20422, USA
- Biomedical Informatics Center, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA
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Meyerson BE, Bentele KG, Brady BR, Stavros N, Russell DM, Mahoney AN, Garnett I, Jackson S, Garcia RC, Coles HB, Granillo B, Carter GA. Insufficient Impact: Limited Implementation of Federal Regulatory Changes to Methadone and Buprenorphine Access in Arizona During COVID-19. AJPM FOCUS 2024; 3:100177. [PMID: 38312524 PMCID: PMC10835120 DOI: 10.1016/j.focus.2023.100177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
Introduction This study examined the impact of federal regulatory changes on methadone and buprenorphine treatment during COVID-19 in Arizona. Methods A cohort study of methadone and buprenorphine providers from September 14, 2021 to April 15, 2022 measured the proportion of 6 treatment accommodations implemented at 3 time periods: before COVID-19, during Arizona's COVID-19 shutdown, and at the time of the survey completion. Accommodations included (1) telehealth, (2) telehealth buprenorphine induction, (3) increased multiday dosing, (4) license reciprocity, (5) home medications delivery, and (6) off-site dispensing. A multilevel model assessed the association of treatment setting, rurality, and treatment with accommodation implementation time. Results Over half (62.2%) of the 74-provider sample practiced in healthcare settings not primarily focused on addiction treatment, 19% practiced in methadone clinics, and 19% practiced in treatment clinics not offering methadone. Almost half (43%) were unaware of the regulatory changes allowing treatment accommodation. Telehealth was most frequently reported, increasing from 30% before COVID-19 to 80% at the time of the survey. Multiday dosing was the only accommodation substantially retracted after COVID-19 shutdown: from 41% to 23% at the time of the survey. Providers with higher patient limits were 2.5-3.2 times as likely to implement telehealth services, 4.4 times as likely to implement buprenorphine induction through telehealth, and 15.2-20.9 times as likely to implement license reciprocity as providers with lower patient limits. Providers of methadone implemented 12% more accommodations and maintained a higher average proportion of implemented accommodations during the COVID-19 shutdown period but were more likely to reduce the proportion of implemented accommodations (a 17-percentage point gap by the time of the survey). Conclusions Federal regulatory changes are not sufficient to produce a substantive or sustained impact on provider accommodations, especially in methadone medical treatment settings. Practice change interventions specific to treatment settings should be implemented and studied for their impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth E Meyerson
- Harm Reduction Research Lab, Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine-Tucson, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
- Comprehensive Center for Pain and Addiction, The University of Arizona Health Sciences, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Keith G Bentele
- Harm Reduction Research Lab, Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine-Tucson, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
- Southwest Institute for Research on Women, College of Social & Behavioral Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Benjamin R Brady
- Harm Reduction Research Lab, Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine-Tucson, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
- Comprehensive Center for Pain and Addiction, The University of Arizona Health Sciences, Tucson, Arizona
- School of Interdisciplinary Health Programs, College of Health and Human Services, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan
| | - Nick Stavros
- Community Medical Services, Phoenix, Arizona
- Drug Policy Research and Advocacy Board, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Danielle M Russell
- Harm Reduction Research Lab, Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine-Tucson, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
- Drug Policy Research and Advocacy Board, Tucson, Arizona
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Arlene N Mahoney
- Harm Reduction Research Lab, Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine-Tucson, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
- Drug Policy Research and Advocacy Board, Tucson, Arizona
- Southwest Recovery Alliance, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Irene Garnett
- Harm Reduction Research Lab, Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine-Tucson, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
- Drug Policy Research and Advocacy Board, Tucson, Arizona
| | | | | | | | - Brenda Granillo
- Southwest Institute for Research on Women, College of Social & Behavioral Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Gregory A Carter
- Harm Reduction Research Lab, Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine-Tucson, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
- Department of Community and Health Systems, Indiana University School of Nursing, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
- Rural Center for AIDS/STD Prevention, School of Public Health-Bloomington, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
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13
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Jehan S, Zahnd WE, Wooten NR, Seay KD. Geographic variation in availability of opioid treatment programs across U.S. communities. J Addict Dis 2024; 42:136-146. [PMID: 36645315 DOI: 10.1080/10550887.2023.2165869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Methadone for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) treatment is only dispensed at Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs). Little is known about the geographic variation in OTP availability and community characteristics associated with the availability across smaller geographic communities in the U.S. To (1) describe geographic distribution of OTPs and (2) examine OTP availability by community characteristics in the contiguous U.S. at Zip Code Area Tabulation (ZCTA) level. Logistic regression was used to examine community characteristics associated with OTP availability (N = 30,367). Chi-square and t-tests were conducted to examine statistically significant differences in OTP availability. Maps and descriptive statistics were used to examine geographic variation in OTP availability. Only 5% (1,417) of ZCTAs had at least one OTP for a total of 1,682 OTPs. Rural ZCTAs had 50% lower odds of having an OTP compared to urban ZCTAs [AOR 0.5; (95% CI: 0.41-0.60)]. ZCTAs in the lowest income quartile had higher odds of having an OTP compared to ZCTAs in the highest income quartile [AOR 3.4; (95% CI: 2.71-4.18)]. Further, ZCTAs with OTPs had a higher proportion of minority residents [Black: 17.5% vs. 7.2%; Hispanic: 19.2% vs. 9%] and a lower proportion of White residents [55.1% vs. 78.2%]. Nationally, OTPs are extremely scarce with notable regional and urban-rural disparities. Potential solutions to address these disparities are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadia Jehan
- College of Social Work, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Whitney E Zahnd
- Department of Health Policy and Management, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Nikki R Wooten
- College of Social Work, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Kristen D Seay
- College of Social Work, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
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14
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Landis RK, Stein BD, Dick AW, Griffin BA, Saloner BK, Terplan M, Faherty LJ. Trends and Disparities in Perinatal Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in Medicaid, 2007-2012. Med Care Res Rev 2024; 81:145-155. [PMID: 38160405 DOI: 10.1177/10775587231216515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
We described Medicaid-insured women by receipt of perinatal opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment; and trends and disparities in treatment. Using 2007 to 2012 Medicaid Analytic eXtract data from 45 states and D.C., we identified deliveries among women with OUD. Regressions modeled the association between patient characteristics and receipt of any OUD treatment, medication for OUD (MOUD), and counseling alone during the perinatal period. Rates of any OUD treatment and MOUD for women with perinatal OUD increased over the study period, but trends differed by subgroup. Compared with non-Hispanic White women, Black and American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) women were less likely to receive any OUD treatment, and Black women were less likely to receive MOUD. Over time, the disparity in receipt of MOUD between Black and White women increased. Overall gains in OUD treatment were driven by improvements in perinatal OUD care for White women and obscured disparities for Black and AI/AN women.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Laura J Faherty
- RAND Corporation, Boston, MA, USA
- Maine Medical Center, Portland, ME, USA
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15
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Jegede O, Bellamy C, Jordan A. Systemic Racism as a Determinant of Health Inequities for People With Substance Use Disorder. JAMA Psychiatry 2024; 81:225-226. [PMID: 38231489 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2023.4958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
This Viewpoint describes how systemic racism is a determinant of inequities in treatment for people with substance use disorder and suggests an antiracism framework in addiction practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oluwole Jegede
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Chyrell Bellamy
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Ayana Jordan
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York
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16
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Nedjat S, Wang Y, Eshtiaghi K, Fleming M. Is there a disparity in medications for opioid use disorder based on race/ethnicity and gender? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Res Social Adm Pharm 2024; 20:236-245. [PMID: 38101952 DOI: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2023.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) among racial/ethnic minorities is a growing concern. OBJECTIVES Inequalities in receiving MOUD among gender and racial/ethnic groups were examined in this systematic review. METHODS Studies were retrieved by searching various databases and reference lists of reviews and selected full texts. Adjusted Odds Ratios (AORs) comparing MOUDs among racial/ethnic minorities to Whites were extracted or estimated from their findings. Meta-analysis was performed using STATA 17. RESULTS After screening 2438 records, 19 studies were included in this review in two categories. The first category consists of 11 studies comparing receiving MOUD between different races/ethnicities and genders at the individual level. The meta-analysis regarding AORs comparing Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans/Alaska-Natives, Hawaiians, and mixed-race patients with Whites were 0.56 (95 % CI: 0.45-0.68), 0.72 (95 % CI: 0.55-0.94), 0.85 (95 % CI: 0.72-0.99), 0.88 (95%CI: 0.73-1.04), 0.27 (95 % CI: 0.03-2.18), and 0.97 (95 % CI: 0.81-1.16), respectively. The AOR of receiving MOUD for all minorities compared to Whites was 0.70 (95 % CI: 0.61-0.80). Overall AOR comparing MOUD for females to males was 0.95 (95 % CI: 0.87-1.04). The second category of articles compared buprenorphine and methadone treatment among ethnic/racial minorities and Whites. CONCLUSIONS Compared to Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians have limited access to MOUD. The findings suggest that methadone is the predominant medication for racial/ethnic minorities, while Whites and high-income communities receive buprenorphine more. It is crucial to re-design policies to bridge the gap in access to MOUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saharnaz Nedjat
- Department of Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Yun Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Khashayar Eshtiaghi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Marc Fleming
- Department of Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA, USA.
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17
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Gibbons JB, McCullough JS, Zivin K, Brown ZY, Norton EC. Racial and ethnic disparities in medication for opioid use disorder access, use, and treatment outcomes in Medicare. JOURNAL OF SUBSTANCE USE AND ADDICTION TREATMENT 2024; 157:209271. [PMID: 38135120 DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2023.209271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Overdose deaths are increasing disproportionately for minoritized populations in the United States. Disparities in substance use disorder treatment access and use have been a key contributor to this phenomenon. However, little is known about the magnitude of these disparities and the role of social determinants of health (SDOH) and provider characteristics in driving them. Our study measures the association between race and ethnicity and visits with Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) providers, MOUD treatment conditional on a provider visit, and opioid overdose following MOUD treatment in Medicare. We also evaluate the role of social determinants of health and provider characteristics in modifying disparities. METHODS Using a population of 230,198 US Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries diagnosed with opioid use disorder (OUD), we estimate logistic regression models to quantify the association between belonging to a racial or ethnic group and the probability of visiting a buprenorphine or naltrexone provider, receiving a prescription or medication administration during or after a visit, and experiencing an opioid overdose after treatment with MOUD. Data included Medicare claims data and the Agency for Health Research and Quality Social Determinants of Health Database files between 2013 and 2017. RESULTS Compared to Non-Hispanic White Medicare beneficiaries, Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native, Black, Hispanic, and Other/Unknown Race beneficiaries were between 3.0 and 9.3 percentage points less likely to have a visit with a buprenorphine or naltrexone provider. Conditional on having a buprenorphine or naltrexone provider visit, Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native, Black, Hispanic, and Other/Unknown Race were between 2.6 and 8.1 percentage points less likely to receive buprenorphine or naltrexone than white beneficiaries. Controlling for provider characteristics and SDOH increased disparities in visits and MOUD treatment for all groups besides American Indians/Alaska Natives. Conditional on treatment, only Black Medicare beneficiaries were at greater associated risk of overdose than non-Hispanic white beneficiaries, although differences became statistically insignificant after controlling for SDOH and including provider fixed effects. CONCLUSION Ongoing equity programming and measurement efforts by CMS should include explicit consideration for disparities in access and use of MOUD. This may help ensure greater MOUD utilization by minoritized Medicare beneficiaries and reduce rising disparities in overdose deaths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason B Gibbons
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus - Colorado School of Public Health - Department of Health Systems, Management and Policy, 13001 E 17th PL, Aurora, CO 80045, United States of America.
| | - Jeffrey S McCullough
- University of Michigan School of Public Health - Department of Health Management and Policy, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America
| | - Kara Zivin
- University of Michigan School of Public Health - Department of Health Management and Policy, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America; University of Michigan School of Medicine - Department of Psychiatry, 1500 E Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America; University of Michigan School of Medicine - Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 1500 E Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America
| | - Zach Y Brown
- University of Michigan - Department of Economics, 611 Tappan Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America; National Bureau of Economic Research, 1050 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138, United States of America
| | - Edward C Norton
- University of Michigan School of Public Health - Department of Health Management and Policy, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America; University of Michigan - Department of Economics, 611 Tappan Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America; National Bureau of Economic Research, 1050 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138, United States of America
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18
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Cesare N, Lines LM, Chandler R, Gibson EB, Vickers-Smith R, Jackson R, Bazzi AR, Goddard-Eckrich D, Sabounchi N, Chisolm DJ, Vandergrift N, Oga E. Development and validation of a community-level social determinants of health index for drug overdose deaths in the HEALing Communities Study. JOURNAL OF SUBSTANCE USE AND ADDICTION TREATMENT 2024; 157:209186. [PMID: 37866438 PMCID: PMC11298214 DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2023.209186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Social determinants of health (SDoH), such as socioeconomic status, education level, and food insecurity, are believed to influence the opioid crisis. While global SDoH indices such as the CDC's Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and Area Deprivation Index (ADI) combine the explanatory power of multiple social factors for understanding health outcomes, they may be less applicable to the specific challenges of opioid misuse and associated outcomes. This study develops a novel index tailored to opioid misuse outcomes, tests the efficacy of this index in predicting drug overdose deaths across contexts, and compares the explanatory power of this index to other SDoH indices. METHODS Focusing on four HEALing Communities Study (HCS) states (Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York and Ohio; encompassing 4269 ZIP codes), we identified multilevel SDoH potentially associated with opioid misuse and aggregated publicly available data for each measure. We then leveraged a random forest model to develop a composite measure that predicts age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rates based on SDoH. We used this composite measure to understand HCS and non-HCS communities in terms of overdose risk across areas of varying racial composition. Finally, we compared variance in drug overdose deaths explained by this index to variance explained by the SVI and ADI. RESULTS Our composite measure included 28 SDoH measures and explained approximately 89 % percent of variance in age-adjusted drug overdose mortality across HCS states. Health care measures, including emergency department visits and primary care provider availability, were top predictors within the index. Index accuracy was robust within and outside of HCS communities and states. This measure identified high levels of overdose mortality risk in segregated communities. CONCLUSIONS Existing SDoH indices fail to explain much variation in area-level overdose mortality rates. Having tailored composite indices can help us to identify places in which residents are at highest risk based on their composite contexts. A comprehensive index can also help to develop effective community interventions for programs such as HCS by considering the context in which people live.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Cesare
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center, Boston University School of Public Health, 85 East Newton Street Suite 906, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Lisa M Lines
- RTI International, 3040 East Cornwallis Road, PI Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - Redonna Chandler
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, C/O NIH Mail Center 3WFN 16071 Industrial Dr, Gaithersburg, MD, USA.
| | - Erin B Gibson
- Boston Medical Center, 850 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA, USA.
| | | | - Rebecca Jackson
- Ohio State University Medical Center, 410 West Ave, Columbus, OH, USA.
| | - Angela R Bazzi
- University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92161, USA.
| | | | - Nasim Sabounchi
- CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, 55 W 125th St., New York, NY, USA.
| | - Deena J Chisolm
- Nationwide Children's Hospital, 700 Children's Dr., Columbus, OH, USA.
| | - Nathan Vandergrift
- RTI International, 3040 East Cornwallis Road, PI Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
| | - Emmanuel Oga
- RTI International, 3040 East Cornwallis Road, PI Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.
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19
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Amiri S, Panwala V, Amram O. Disparities in access to opioid treatment programs and buprenorphine providers by race and ethnicity in the contiguous U.S. JOURNAL OF SUBSTANCE USE AND ADDICTION TREATMENT 2024; 156:209193. [PMID: 37890620 DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2023.209193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The burden of drug overdose mortality varies by race and ethnicity, with American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN), Black, and White people experiencing the largest burden. We analyzed census block group data to evaluate differences in travel distance to opioid treatment programs (OTP) and buprenorphine providers by race and ethnicity. METHODS The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provided the addresses of OTPs and buprenorphine providers. The study classified block groups as majority (≥50 %) AI/AN, Black, Asian, White, no single racial majority, or Hispanic. We classified deprivation and rurality using the Area Deprivation Index and Rural-Urban Commuting Area codes. The study applied generalized linear mixed models. RESULTS Among all block groups, the median road distance to the nearest OTPs and buprenorphine providers was 8 and 2 miles, respectively. AI/AN-majority block groups had the longest median distances to OTPs (88 miles versus 4-10 miles) and buprenorphine providers (17 miles versus 1-3 miles) compared to other racial or ethnic majority block groups. For OTPs and buprenorphine providers, travel distances were slightly greater in more deprived block groups compared to less deprived block groups. The median distance to the nearest OTPs and buprenorphine providers were larger in micropolitan and small town/rural block groups compared to metropolitan areas. CONCLUSIONS Disparities exist in travel distance to OTPs and buprenorphine providers. People in block groups with AI/AN-majority, nonmetropolitan, or more deprived designation experience travel disparities accessing treatment. Future research should develop targeted interventions to reduce access to care disparities for individuals with opioid use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solmaz Amiri
- Institute for Research and Education to Advance Community Health (IREACH), Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Victoria Panwala
- Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ofer Amram
- Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, USA
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20
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Figgatt MC, Hincapie-Castillo JM, Schranz AJ, Dasgupta N, Edwards JK, Jackson BE, Marshall SW, Golightly YM. Medications for Opioid Use Disorder and Mortality and Hospitalization Among People With Opioid Use-related Infections. Epidemiology 2024; 35:7-15. [PMID: 37820243 PMCID: PMC10841877 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000001681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Severe skin and soft tissue infections related to injection drug use have increased in concordance with a shift to heroin and illicitly manufactured fentanyl. Opioid agonist therapy medications (methadone and buprenorphine) may improve long-term outcomes by reducing injection drug use. We aimed to examine the association of medication use with mortality among people with opioid use-related skin or soft tissue infections. METHODS An observational cohort study of Medicaid enrollees aged 18 years or older following their first documented medical encounters for opioid use-related skin or soft tissue infections during 2007-2018 in North Carolina. The exposure was documented medication use (methadone or buprenorphine claim) in the first 30 days following initial infection compared with no medication claim. Using Kaplan-Meier estimators, we examined the difference in 3-year incidence of mortality by medication use, weighted for year, age, comorbidities, and length of hospital stay. RESULTS In this sample, there were 13,286 people with opioid use-related skin or soft tissue infections. The median age was 37 years, 68% were women, and 78% were white. In Kaplan-Meier curves for the total study population, 12 of every 100 patients died during the first 3 years. In weighted models, for every 100 people who used medications, there were four fewer deaths over 3 years (95% confidence interval = 2, 6). CONCLUSION In this study, people with opioid use-related skin and soft tissue infections had a high risk of mortality following their initial healthcare visit for infections. Methadone or buprenorphine use was associated with reductions in mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary C Figgatt
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health Department of Epidemiology, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA, 27599
- University of North Carolina Injury Prevention Research Center, 725 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA, 27599
| | - Juan M Hincapie-Castillo
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health Department of Epidemiology, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA, 27599
- University of North Carolina Injury Prevention Research Center, 725 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA, 27599
| | - Asher J Schranz
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases, Chapel Hill, 130 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA, 27599
| | - Nabarun Dasgupta
- University of North Carolina Injury Prevention Research Center, 725 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA, 27599
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA, 27599
| | - Jessie K Edwards
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health Department of Epidemiology, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA, 27599
| | - Bradford E Jackson
- University of North Carolina Lineberger Cancer Center Cancer Information and Population Health Resource, 101 East Weaver St, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA, 27599
| | - Stephen W Marshall
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health Department of Epidemiology, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA, 27599
- University of North Carolina Injury Prevention Research Center, 725 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA, 27599
| | - Yvonne M Golightly
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health Department of Epidemiology, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA, 27599
- University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Allied Health Professions, 42 and Emilie St, Omaha, Nebraska, USA, 68198
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Wakeman SE, Powell E, Shehab S, Herman G, Kehoe L, Kaplan RS. A Cost Model for a Low-Threshold Clinic Treating Opioid Use Disorder. J Behav Health Serv Res 2024; 51:22-30. [PMID: 37644350 DOI: 10.1007/s11414-023-09853-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
The US fee-for-service payment system under-reimburses clinics offering access to comprehensive treatments for opioid use disorder (OUD). The funding shortfall limits a clinic's ability to expand and improve access, especially for socially marginalized patients with OUD. New payment models, however, should reflect the high variation in cost for using a clinic's clinical and voluntary psychosocial and recovery support services. The authors applied time-driven activity-based costing, a patient-level, micro-costing approach, to estimate the cost at an outpatient clinic that delivers medication for opiate used disorder (MOUD) and voluntary psychosocial and recovery support services. Much of the cost variation could be explained by classifying patients into three archetypes: (1) light touch (1-3 visits): no significant co-occurring psychiatric illness, stable housing, and easy to connect for ongoing OUD treatment in a traditional outpatient setting; (2) standard (average of 8 visits): initially requires an integrated team-based care model but soon stabilizes for transition to community-based outpatient care; (3) quad morbidity (> 20 visits): multiple co-occurring substance use disorders, unhoused, co-occurring medical and psychiatric complexity, and limited social supports. With the cost of the initial visit set at an indexed value of 100, an average light touch patient had a cost of 352, a standard patient was 718, and a quad morbidity patient was 1701. The cost structure revealed by this analysis provides the foundation for alternative payment models that would enable new MOUD clinics, staffed with multi-disciplinary care teams, and located for convenient access by high-risk patients, to be established and sustained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Wakeman
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Elizabeth Powell
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
| | | | - Grace Herman
- Jacobs School of Medicine at University of Buffalo, Buffalo, USA
| | - Laura Kehoe
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Robert S Kaplan
- Harvard University, Cambridge, USA.
- Harvard Business School, Boston, USA.
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22
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Winograd RP, Coffey B, Nance M, Carpenter R. The association of medical providers' attitudes about naloxone and people with opioid use disorder and their self-reported "low-barrier" treatment practices. Addict Behav Rep 2023; 18:100514. [PMID: 37680698 PMCID: PMC10480593 DOI: 10.1016/j.abrep.2023.100514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Opioid-involved overdose deaths continue to climb, in part because of suboptimal access to and retention on medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), including buprenorphine. Low barrier buprenorphine treatment aims to reduce or eliminate the threshold for getting and staying on medication by providing immediate and long-term access to buprenorphine without strict rules or requirements. This study examines associations between medical providers' beliefs about treating people with opioid use disorder (OUD) and naloxone access with their self-reported low-barrier buprenorphine prescribing practices. We surveyed and analyzed responses from providers (N = 86) who completed X-waiver courses in Missouri between March 2017 and September 2019, of which 55% (n = 47) both completed the full survey and endorsed prescribing buprenorphine since the training. The survey included questions about buprenorphine prescribing behaviors as well as the Naloxone-Related Risk Compensation Beliefs (NaRCC-B) scale and the Attitudes toward Patients with OUD scale. Analyses consisted of a series of linear and logistic regressions with the NaRCC-B and OUD Attitudes scales predicting various domains of low-barrier prescribing behaviors. Findings indicate medical providers' beliefs about treating people with OUD are associated with their practice of addiction medicine, with individuals with more favorable views being more likely to endorse low-barrier buprenorphine prescribing practices including offering telemedicine and at-home inductions, prescribing higher doses of buprenorphine, treating larger caseloads, and discussing overdose risk and protective factors with their patients. Providers' beliefs about naloxone being enabling were less related to their buprenorphine practices but strongly related to their likelihood of providing naloxone. Future research may examine which strategies effectively change prescriber attitudes and their adoption of lower-barrier prescribing practices.
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23
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Perry A, Wheeler-Martin K, Hasin DS, Terlizzi K, Mannes ZL, Jent V, Townsend TN, Pamplin JR, Crystal S, Martins SS, Cerdá M, Krawczyk N. Utilization and disparities in medication treatment for opioid use disorder among patients with comorbid opioid use disorder and chronic pain during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drug Alcohol Depend 2023; 253:111023. [PMID: 37984034 PMCID: PMC10841620 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.111023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic's impact on utilization of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) among patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) and chronic pain is unclear. METHODS We analyzed New York State (NYS) Medicaid claims from pre-pandemic (August 2019-February 2020) and pandemic (March 2020-December 2020) periods for beneficiaries with and without chronic pain. We calculated monthly proportions of patients with OUD diagnoses in 6-month-lookback windows utilizing MOUD and proportions of treatment-naïve patients initiating MOUD. We used interrupted time series to assess changes in MOUD utilization and initiation rates by medication type and by race/ethnicity. RESULTS Among 20,785 patients with OUD and chronic pain, 49.3% utilized MOUD (versus 60.3% without chronic pain). The pandemic did not affect utilization in either group but briefly disrupted initiation among patients with chronic pain (β=-0.009; 95% CI [-0.015, -0.002]). Overall MOUD utilization was not affected by the pandemic for any race/ethnicity but opioid treatment program (OTP) utilization was briefly disrupted for non-Hispanic Black individuals (β=-0.007 [-0.013, -0.001]). The pandemic disrupted overall MOUD initiation in non-Hispanic Black (β=-0.007 [-0.012, -0.002]) and Hispanic individuals (β=-0.010 [-0.019, -0.001]). CONCLUSIONS Adults with chronic pain who were enrolled in NYS Medicaid before the COVID-19 pandemic had lower MOUD utilization than those without chronic pain. MOUD initiation was briefly disrupted, with disparities especially in racial/ethnic minority groups. Flexible MOUD policy initiatives may have maintained overall treatment utilization, but disparities in initiation and care continuity remain for patients with chronic pain, and particularly for racial/ethnic minoritized subgroups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Perry
- Center for Opioid Epidemiology and Policy, Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States.
| | - Katherine Wheeler-Martin
- Center for Opioid Epidemiology and Policy, Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Deborah S Hasin
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, United States
| | - Kelly Terlizzi
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Zachary L Mannes
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, United States
| | - Victoria Jent
- Center for Opioid Epidemiology and Policy, Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Tarlise N Townsend
- Center for Opioid Epidemiology and Policy, Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - John R Pamplin
- Center for Opioid Epidemiology and Policy, Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States; Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, United States
| | - Stephen Crystal
- Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| | - Silvia S Martins
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, United States
| | - Magdalena Cerdá
- Center for Opioid Epidemiology and Policy, Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Noa Krawczyk
- Center for Opioid Epidemiology and Policy, Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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DeSisto CL, Terplan M, Kacha-Ochana A, Green JL, Mueller T, Cox S, Ko JY. Buprenorphine use and setting type among reproductive-aged women self-reporting nonmedical prescription opioid use. JOURNAL OF SUBSTANCE USE AND ADDICTION TREATMENT 2023; 155:209083. [PMID: 37245854 PMCID: PMC10676438 DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2023.209083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Screening for opioid misuse and treatment for opioid use disorder are critical for reducing morbidity and mortality. We sought to understand the extent of self-reported past 30-day buprenorphine use in various settings among women of reproductive age with self-reported nonmedical prescription opioid use being assessed for substance use problems. METHODS The study collected data from individuals being assessed for substance use problems using the Addiction Severity Index-Multimedia Version in 2018-2020. We stratified the sample of 10,196 women ages 12-55 self-reporting past 30-day nonmedical prescription opioid use by buprenorphine use and setting type. We categorized setting types as: buprenorphine in specialty addiction treatment, buprenorphine in office-based opioid treatment, and diverted buprenorphine. We included each woman's first intake assessment during the study period. The study assessed number of buprenorphine products, reasons for using buprenorphine, and sources of buprenorphine procurement. The study calculated frequency of reasons for using buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder outside of a doctor-managed treatment, overall and by race/ethnicity. RESULTS Overall, 25.5 % of the sample used buprenorphine in specialty addiction treatment, 6.1 % used buprenorphine prescribed in office-based treatment, 21.7 % used diverted buprenorphine, and 46.7 % reported no buprenorphine use during the past 30 days. Among women who reported using buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder, but not as part of a doctor-managed treatment, 72.3 % could not find a provider or get into a treatment program, 21.8 % did not want to be part of a program or see a provider, and 6.0 % reported both; a higher proportion of American Indian/Alaska Native women (92.1 %) reported that they could not find a provider or get into a treatment program versus non-Hispanic White (78.0 %), non-Hispanic Black (76.0 %), and Hispanic (75.0 %) women. CONCLUSIONS Appropriate screening for nonmedical prescription opioid use to assess need for treatment with medication for opioid use disorder is important for all women of reproductive age. Our data highlight opportunities to improve treatment program accessibility and availability and support the need to increase equitable access for all women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla L DeSisto
- Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, Chamblee, GA 30341, United States of America.
| | - Mishka Terplan
- Friends Research Institute, 1040 Park Ave, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States of America
| | - Akadia Kacha-Ochana
- Office of Strategy and Innovation, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, Chamblee, GA 30341, United States of America
| | - Jody L Green
- Integrated Behavioral Health, Inflexxion, 2 Park Plaza, Suite 1200, Irvine, CA 92614, United States of America
| | - Trisha Mueller
- Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, Chamblee, GA 30341, United States of America
| | - Shanna Cox
- Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, Chamblee, GA 30341, United States of America
| | - Jean Y Ko
- Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, Chamblee, GA 30341, United States of America
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25
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Xu KY, Schiff DM, Jones HE, Martin CE, Kelly JC, Bierut LJ, Carter EB, Grucza RA. Racial and Ethnic Inequities in Buprenorphine and Methadone Utilization Among Reproductive-Age Women with Opioid Use Disorder: an Analysis of Multi-state Medicaid Claims in the USA. J Gen Intern Med 2023; 38:3499-3508. [PMID: 37436568 PMCID: PMC10713957 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-023-08306-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Associations between race/ethnicity and medications to treat OUD (MOUD), buprenorphine and methadone, in reproductive-age women have not been thoroughly studied in multi-state samples. OBJECTIVE To evaluate racial/ethnic variation in buprenorphine and methadone receipt and retention in a multi-state U.S. sample of Medicaid-enrolled, reproductive-age women with opioid use disorder (OUD) at the beginning of OUD treatment. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SUBJECTS Reproductive-age (18-45 years) women with OUD, in the Merative™ MarketScan® Multi-State Medicaid Database (2011-2016). MAIN MEASURES Differences by race/ethnicity (non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, "other" race/ethnicity) in the likelihood of receiving buprenorphine and methadone during the start of OUD treatment (yes/no) were estimated using multivariable logistic regression. Differences in time to medication discontinuation (days) by race/ethnicity were evaluated using multivariable Cox regression. RESULTS Of 66,550 reproductive-age Medicaid enrollees with OUD (84.1% non-Hispanic White, 5.9% non-Hispanic Black, 1.0% Hispanic, 5.3% "other"), 15,313 (23.0%) received buprenorphine and 6290 (9.5%) methadone. Non-Hispanic Black enrollees were less likely to receive buprenorphine (adjusted odds ratio, aOR = 0.76 [0.68-0.84]) and more likely to be referred to methadone clinics (aOR = 1.78 [1.60-2.00]) compared to non-Hispanic White participants. Across both buprenorphine and methadone in unadjusted analyses, the median discontinuation time for non-Hispanic Black enrollees was 123 days compared to 132 days and 141 days for non-Hispanic White and Hispanic enrollees respectively (χ2 = 10.6; P = .01). In adjusted analyses, non-Hispanic Black enrollees experienced greater discontinuation for buprenorphine and methadone (adjusted hazard ratio, aHR = 1.16 [1.08-1.24] and aHR = 1.16 [1.07-1.30] respectively) compared to non-Hispanic White peers. We did not observe differences in buprenorphine or methadone receipt or retention for Hispanic enrollees compared to the non-Hispanic White enrollees. CONCLUSIONS Our data illustrate inequities between non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White Medicaid enrollees with regard to buprenorphine and methadone utilization in the USA, consistent with literature on the racialized origins of methadone and buprenorphine treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Y Xu
- Health and Behavior Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Davida M Schiff
- Division of General Academic Pediatrics, Mass General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hendrée E Jones
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Caitlin E Martin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and VCU Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Jeannie C Kelly
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and the Division of Clinical Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Laura J Bierut
- Health and Behavior Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Alvin J Siteman Cancer Center, Barnes Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ebony B Carter
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and the Division of Clinical Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Richard A Grucza
- Departments of Family and Community Medicine and Health and Outcomes Research, St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA
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26
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Suarez E, Bartholomew TS, Plesons M, Ciraldo K, Ostrer L, Serota DP, Chueng TA, Frederick M, Onugha J, Tookes HE. Adaptation of the Tele-Harm Reduction intervention to promote initiation and retention in buprenorphine treatment among people who inject drugs: a retrospective cohort study. Ann Med 2023; 55:733-743. [PMID: 36856571 PMCID: PMC9980015 DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2023.2182908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: At the start of the pandemic, relaxation of buprenorphine prescribing regulations created an opportunity to create new models of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) delivery and care. To expand and improve access to MOUD, we adapted and implemented the Tele-Harm Reduction (THR) intervention; a multicomponent, telehealth-based and peer-driven intervention to promote HIV viral suppression among people who inject drugs (PWID) accessing a syringe services program (SSP). This study examined buprenorphine initiation and retention among PWID with opioid use disorder who received the adapted THR intervention at the IDEA Miami SSP.Methods: A retrospective chart review of participants who received the THR intervention for MOUD was performed to examine the impact of telehealth on buprenorphine retention. Our primary outcome was three-month retention, defined as three consecutive months of buprenorphine dispensed from the pharmacy.Results: A total of 109 participants received the adapted THR intervention. Three-month retention rate on buprenorphine was 58.7%. Seeing a provider via telehealth at baseline or any follow up visit (aOR = 7.53, 95% CI: [2.36, 23.98]) and participants who had received an escalating dose of buprenorphine after baseline visit (aOR = 8.09, 95% CI: [1.83, 35.87]) had a higher adjusted odds of retention at three months. Participants who self-reported or tested positive for a stimulant (methamphetamine, amphetamine, or cocaine) at baseline had a lower adjusted odds of retention on buprenorphine at three months (aOR = 0.29, 95% CI: [0.09, 0.93]).Conclusions: Harm reduction settings can adapt dynamically to the needs of PWID in provision of critical lifesaving buprenorphine in a truly destigmatising approach. Our pilot suggests that an SSP may be an acceptable and feasible venue for delivery of THR to increase uptake of buprenorphine by PWID and promote retention in care.KEY MESSAGESThe Tele-Harm Reduction intervention can be adapted for initiating and retaining people who inject drugs with opioid use disorder on buprenorphine within a syringe services program settingUsing telehealth was associated with increased three-month buprenorphine retentionBaseline stimulant use was negatively associated with three-month buprenorphine retention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward Suarez
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Tyler S. Bartholomew
- Division of Health Services Research and Policy, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Marina Plesons
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Katrina Ciraldo
- Department of Family and Community Medicine & Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Lily Ostrer
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - David P. Serota
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Teresa A. Chueng
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Morgan Frederick
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Jason Onugha
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Hansel E. Tookes
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
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27
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Leech AA, McNeer E, Stein BD, Richards MR, McElroy T, Dupont WD, Patrick SW. County-level Factors and Treatment Access Among Insured Women With Opioid Use Disorder. Med Care 2023; 61:816-821. [PMID: 37199507 PMCID: PMC10656358 DOI: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND An over 40% increase in overdose deaths within the past 2 years and low levels of engagement in treatment call for a better understanding of factors that influence access to medication for opioid use disorder (OUD). OBJECTIVE To examine whether county-level characteristics influence a caller's ability to secure an appointment with an OUD treatment practitioner, either a buprenorphine-waivered prescriber or an opioid treatment program (OTP). RESEARCH DESIGN AND SUBJECTS We leveraged data from a randomized field experiment comprised of simulated pregnant and nonpregnant women of reproductive age seeking treatment for OUD among 10 states in the US. We employed a mixed-effects logistic regression model with random intercepts for counties to examine the relationship between appointments received and salient county-level factors related to OUD. MEASURES Our primary outcome was the caller's ability to secure an appointment with an OUD treatment practitioner. County-level predictor variables included socioeconomic disadvantage rankings, rurality, and OUD treatment/practitioner density. RESULTS Our sample comprised 3956 reproductive-aged callers; 86% reached a buprenorphine-waivered prescriber and 14% an OTP. We found that 1 additional OTP per 100,000 population was associated with an increase (OR=1.36, 95% CI: 1.08 to 1.71) in the likelihood that a nonpregnant caller receives an OUD treatment appointment from any practitioner. CONCLUSIONS When OTPs are highly concentrated within a county, women of reproductive age with OUD have an easier time securing an appointment with any practitioner. This finding may suggest greater practitioners' comfort in prescribing when there are robust OUD specialty safety nets in the county.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley A. Leech
- Department of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Elizabeth McNeer
- Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Bradley D. Stein
- RAND Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | | | - Tamarra McElroy
- Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - William D. Dupont
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Stephen W. Patrick
- Department of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Mildred Stahlman Division of Neonatology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
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28
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DeBruin H, St Marie BJ. Health disparities in ethnic and racial minority populations with pain and opioid use disorder. J Opioid Manag 2023; 19:23-36. [PMID: 37879657 DOI: 10.5055/jom.2023.0796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Healthcare providers are not prepared to address health disparities among ethnic and racial minority populations with either persistent and chronic pain or substance use disorder (SUD). Recognizing biases from policies to provide pain management and treatment for SUD in our healthcare systems, from our individual state laws and federal guidelines, is necessary. Biases are embedded in the screening and treatment of patients with chronic pain through the use of screening tools, opioid treatment agreements, and prescription drug monitoring programs. Additionally, the punitive treatment of people of ethnic and racial minority populations who experience persistent and chronic pain, opioid use disorders, or other SUDs needs to be redirected to facilitate solutions rooted in equity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Barbara J St Marie
- University of Iowa, College of Nursing, Iowa City, Iowa. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0231-9464
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29
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Rosen H, Cunningham CO. Time to End Racial Disparities in Buprenorphine Access. Am J Public Health 2023; 113:1083-1085. [PMID: 37590915 PMCID: PMC10484128 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2023.307388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Henry Rosen
- Henry Rosen is the Chief of Staff at the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports, New York, NY. Chinazo O. Cunningham is the Commissioner of the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports and is a clinical professor of medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Chinazo O Cunningham
- Henry Rosen is the Chief of Staff at the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports, New York, NY. Chinazo O. Cunningham is the Commissioner of the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports and is a clinical professor of medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY
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30
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Carr MM, Lou R, Macdonald-Gagnon G, Peltier MR, Funaro MC, Martino S, Masheb RM. Weight change among patients engaged in medication treatment for opioid use disorder: a scoping review. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2023; 49:551-565. [PMID: 37200510 PMCID: PMC10840392 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2023.2207720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Background: Medication treatment for opioid use disorder (MOUD) is an instrumental tool in combatting opioid use and overdose. Excess weight gain associated with MOUD initiation is a potential barrier that is not well understood.Objectives: Conduct a scoping review of available studies investigating the effect of MOUD on weight.Methods: Included studies consisted of adults taking any type of MOUD (e.g. methadone, buprenorphine/naloxone, naltrexone) with data on weight or body mass index for at least two time points. Evidence was synthesized using qualitative and descriptive approaches, and predictors of weight gain including demographics, comorbid substance use, and medication dose were examined.Results: Twenty-one unique studies were identified. Most studies were uncontrolled cohort studies or retrospective chart reviews testing the association between methadone and weight gain (n = 16). Studies examining 6 months of methadone treatment reported weight gain ranging from 4.2 to 23.4 pounds. Women appear to gain more weight from methadone than men, while patients using cocaine may gain less. Racial and ethnic disparities were largely unexamined. Only three case reports and two nonrandomized studies examined the effects of either buprenorphine/naloxone or naltrexone, and potential associations with weight gain were not clear.Conclusion: The use of methadone as an MOUD appears to be associated with mild to moderate weight gain. In contrast, there is little data supporting or refuting weight gain with buprenorphine/naloxone or naltrexone. Providers should discuss the potential risk for weight gain with patients as well as prevention and intervention methods for excess weight gain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meagan M. Carr
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Raissa Lou
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - MacKenzie R. Peltier
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Melissa C. Funaro
- Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Steve Martino
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Robin M. Masheb
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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Gibbons JB, Harris SJ, Solomon KT, Sugarman O, Hardy C, Saloner B. Increasing overdose deaths among Black Americans: a review of the literature. Lancet Psychiatry 2023; 10:719-726. [PMID: 37236218 DOI: 10.1016/s2215-0366(23)00119-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
In 2020, opioid overdose fatalities among Black Americans surpassed those among White Americans for the first time in US history. This Review analyses the academic literature on disparities in overdose deaths to highlight potential factors that could explain these increases in overdose deaths among Black Americans. Overall, we find that differences in structural and social determinants of health; inequality in the access, use, and continuity of substance use disorder and harm reduction services; variability in fentanyl exposure and risk; and changes in social and economic circumstances since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic are central to explaining this trend. We conclude with a discussion of opportunities for US policy reform and opportunities for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason B Gibbons
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Samantha J Harris
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Olivia Sugarman
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Carlos Hardy
- Maryland Recovery Organization Connecting Communities, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Brendan Saloner
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Magee T, Peters C, Jacobsen SM, Nees D, Dunford B, Ford AI, Vassar M. Inequities in the treatment of opioid use disorder: A scoping review. JOURNAL OF SUBSTANCE USE AND ADDICTION TREATMENT 2023; 152:209082. [PMID: 37271346 DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2023.209082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Given the lack of access to evidenced-based OUD treatment and the corresponding overdose crisis, researchers must evaluate and report health care inequities involving the treatment of OUD. Additionally, clinicians should be aware of these inequities in the treatment of patients. METHODS We carried out a scoping review of the literature regarding health inequities in treatment for OUD in July 2022. The study team retrieved articles published between 2016 and 2021 from MEDLINE and Ovid Embase. After authors received training, screening and data extraction were performed in masked, duplicate fashion. The team screened a total of 3673 titles and abstracts, followed by 172 articles for full-text review. The inequities that we examined were race/ethnicity, sex or gender, income, under-resourced/rural, occupational status, education level, and LGBTQ+. We used Stata 17.0 (StataCorp, LLC, College Station, TX) to summarize data and statistics of the studies within our sample. RESULTS A total of 44 studies evaluating inequities in OUD treatment met inclusion criteria. The most common inequity that studies examined was race/ethnicity (34/44 [77.27 %] studies), followed by under-resourced/rural (19/44 [43.18 %] studies), and sex or gender (18/44 [40.91 %] studies). LGBTQ+ (0/44 [0.0 %] studies) was not reported in the included studies. Our results indicate that many historically marginalized populations experience inequities related to access and outcomes in OUD treatment. The included studies in our scoping review occasionally demonstrated inconsistent findings. CONCLUSIONS Gaps exist within the literature on health inequities in treatment for OUD. The most examined inequities were race/ethnicity, under-resourced/rural and sex or gender, while studies did not examine LGBTQ+ status. Future research should aim to advance and supplement literature investigating health inequities in OUD treatment to ensure inclusive, patient-centered care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor Magee
- Office of Medical Student Research, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK, United States.
| | - Caleb Peters
- Office of Medical Student Research, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK, United States
| | - Samuel M Jacobsen
- Office of Medical Student Research, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK, United States
| | - Danya Nees
- Office of Medical Student Research, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK, United States
| | - Bryan Dunford
- Office of Medical Student Research, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK, United States
| | - Alicia Ito Ford
- Office of Medical Student Research, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK, United States
| | - Matt Vassar
- Office of Medical Student Research, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK, United States
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Panwala V, Joudrey P, Kowalski M, Bach P, Amram O. Changes to methadone maintenance therapy in the United States, Canada, and Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic: A narrative review. JOURNAL OF SUBSTANCE USE AND ADDICTION TREATMENT 2023; 152:209086. [PMID: 37270103 PMCID: PMC10232933 DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2023.209086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, countries across the world made adaptations to policies regulating the provision of methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) to facilitate social distancing for health care providers and people in treatment. Many countries issued guidance about increasing take-home methadone doses after the onset of the pandemic. METHODS In this review, we compare the regulation of MMT prior to the pandemic in the United States, Canada, and Australia, analyze changes to treatment policy in the context of COVID-19, and review emerging data on treatment outcomes. RESULTS The United States only permits the prescription and disbursement of methadone for MMT treatment at federally designated opioid treatment programs (OTPs). Conversely, Australia and Canada operate on a community pharmacy-based distribution model, where patients can access methadone doses either in participating pharmacies or in some methadone clinics. CONCLUSION Given reports of similar treatment outcomes and increased patient satisfaction since the pandemic-related policy changes, some changes including increased receipt of take-home doses should be considered for incorporation into post-pandemic treatment policies and regulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Panwala
- Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA.
| | - Paul Joudrey
- Center for Research on Health Care, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Melanie Kowalski
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Division, Department of Health, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paxton Bach
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Ofer Amram
- Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA; Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
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Victor G, Ray B, Del Pozo B, Jaffe K, King A, Huynh P. Buprenorphine and opioid analgesics: Dispensation and discontinuity among accidental overdose fatalities in the Indianapolis metropolitan area, 2016-2021. JOURNAL OF SUBSTANCE USE AND ADDICTION TREATMENT 2023; 150:209053. [PMID: 37105266 PMCID: PMC10330395 DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2023.209053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study describes overall trends and sociodemographic disparities in buprenorphine and opioid analgesic uptake and prescribing patterns prior to fatal overdose events. METHODS We examined toxicology data from all accidental overdose deaths from 2016 to 2021 (N = 2682) in a large metropolitan area. These data were linked at the individual-level with a prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP). RESULTS Fewer than half of all deaths had any kind of PDMP record (39.9 %, n = 1070). Among those with a buprenorphine prescription, 10.6 % (n = 35) of decedents had a buprenorphine dispensation within 7 days of their death, while the majority (64.7 %, n = 214) were dispensed buprenorphine more than 30 days prior to death. Evidence existed of racial disparities among those with any buprenorphine uptake, whereby Black individuals (7.3 %, n = 24) had significantly fewer any dispensations compared to White individuals (92.7 %, n = 307). Among those with an opioid analgesic prescription, about 12.2 % (n = 90) were dispensed within 7 days of death, with the majority (68.5 %, n = 506) occurring more than 30 days prior to death. Like buprenorphine dispensations, Black individuals were prescribed a significantly smaller proportion of opioid analgesics (21.9 %, n = 162) versus White individuals (77.7 %, n = 574). Buprenorphine was detected in 78.5 % of deaths where fentanyl was present in the toxicology record, significantly greater when compared to opioid analgesics (57.5 %). CONCLUSION Consistent with prior research, our findings suggest prescription opioid analgesics may protect against fatal overdoses. Access to buprenorphine treatment did not keep pace with the rising lethality of the overdose crisis, and in recent years, a smaller percentage of the people at risk of fatal overdose availed themselves of MOUD preceding their death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant Victor
- School of Social Work, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 120 Albany St, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States of America.
| | - Bradley Ray
- RTI International, Division for Applied Justice Research, 3040 Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, United States of America
| | - Brandon Del Pozo
- Miriam Hospital/Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, United States of America
| | - Kaitlyn Jaffe
- Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine, University of Michigan, 2800 Plymouth Road Bldg. 14, G016, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States of America
| | - Andy King
- School of Emergency Medicine, Wayne State University, 4201 St. Antoine, University Health Center - 6G, Detroit, MI 48201, United States of America
| | - Philip Huynh
- Center for Behavioral Health and Justice, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48208, United States of America
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Allen B, Basaraba C, Corbeil T, Rivera BD, Levin FR, Martinez DM, Schultebraucks K, Henry BF, Pincus HA, Arout C, Krawczyk N. Racial differences in COVID-19 severity associated with history of substance use disorders and overdose: Findings from multi-site electronic health records in New York City. Prev Med 2023; 172:107533. [PMID: 37146730 PMCID: PMC10155467 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2023.107533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Substance use disorders (SUD) are associated with increased risk of worse COVID-19 outcomes. Likewise, racial/ethnic minority patients experience greater risk of severe COVID-19 disease compared to white patients. Providers should understand the role of race and ethnicity as an effect modifier on COVID-19 severity among individuals with SUD. This retrospective cohort study assessed patient race/ethnicity as an effect modifier of the risk of severe COVID-19 disease among patients with histories of SUD and overdose. We used merged electronic health record data from 116,471 adult patients with a COVID-19 encounter between March 2020 and February 2021 across five healthcare systems in New York City. Exposures were patient histories of SUD and overdose. Outcomes were risk of COVID-19 hospitalization and subsequent COVID-19-related ventilation, acute kidney failure, sepsis, and mortality. Risk factors included patient age, sex, and race/ethnicity, as well as medical comorbidities associated with COVID-19 severity. We tested for interaction between SUD and patient race/ethnicity on COVID-19 outcomes. Findings showed that Non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic/Latino, and Asian/Pacific Islander patients experienced a higher prevalence of all adverse COVID-19 outcomes compared to non-Hispanic white patients. Past-year alcohol (OR 1.24 [1.01-1.53]) and opioid use disorders (OR 1.91 [1.46-2.49]), as well as overdose history (OR 4.45 [3.62-5.46]), were predictive of COVID-19 mortality, as well as other adverse COVID-19 outcomes. Among patients with SUD, significant differences in outcome risk were detected between patients of different race/ethnicity groups. Findings indicate that providers should consider multiple dimensions of vulnerability to adequately manage COVID-19 disease among populations with SUDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bennett Allen
- Center for Opioid Epidemiology and Policy, Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, United States of America.
| | - Cale Basaraba
- Area Mental Health Data Science, New York State Psychiatric Institute, United States of America
| | - Thomas Corbeil
- Area Mental Health Data Science, New York State Psychiatric Institute, United States of America
| | - Bianca D Rivera
- Center for Opioid Epidemiology and Policy, Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, United States of America
| | - Frances R Levin
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute, United States of America; Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, United States of America
| | - Diana M Martinez
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute, United States of America; Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, United States of America
| | - Katharina Schultebraucks
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, United States of America; Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, United States of America
| | - Brandy F Henry
- College of Education, Consortium on Substance Use and Addiction, Social Science Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University, United States of America
| | - Harold A Pincus
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute, United States of America; Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, United States of America; Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Columbia University, United States of America
| | - Caroline Arout
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute, United States of America
| | - Noa Krawczyk
- Center for Opioid Epidemiology and Policy, Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, United States of America
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Ober AJ, Osilla KC, Klein DJ, Burgette LF, Leamon I, Mazer MW, Messineo G, Collier S, Korouri S, Watkins KE, Ishak W, Nuckols T, Danovitch I. Pilot randomized controlled trial of a hospital-based substance use treatment and recovery team (START) to improve initiation of medication for alcohol or opioid use disorder and linkage to follow-up care. JOURNAL OF SUBSTANCE USE AND ADDICTION TREATMENT 2023; 150:209063. [PMID: 37156424 PMCID: PMC10330512 DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2023.209063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) to explore whether a hospital inpatient addiction consult team (Substance Use Treatment and Recovery Team [START]) based on collaborative care was feasible, acceptable to patients, and whether it could improve uptake of medication in the hospital and linkage to care after discharge, as well as reduce substance use and hospital readmission. The START consisted of an addiction medicine specialist and care manager who implemented a motivational and discharge planning intervention. METHODS We randomized inpatients age ≥ 18 with a probable alcohol or opioid use disorder to receive START or usual care. We assessed feasibility and acceptability of START and the RCT, and we conducted an intent-to-treat analysis on data from the electronic medical record and patient interviews at baseline and 1-month postdischarge. The study compared RCT outcomes (medication for alcohol or opioid use disorder, linkage to follow-up care after discharge, substance use, hospital readmission) between arms by fitting logistic and linear regression models. FINDINGS Of 38 START patients, 97 % met with the addiction medicine specialist and care manager; 89 % received ≥8 of 10 intervention components. All patients receiving START found it to be somewhat or very acceptable. START patients had higher odds of initiating medication during the inpatient stay (OR 6.26, 95 % CI = 2.38-16.48, p < .001) and being linked to follow-up care (OR 5.76, 95 % CI = 1.86-17.86, p < .01) compared to usual care patients (N = 50). The study found no significant differences between groups in drinking or opioid use; patients in both groups reported using fewer substances at the 1-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS Pilot data suggest START and RCT implementation are feasible and acceptable and that START may facilitate medication initiation and linkage to follow-up for inpatients with an alcohol or opioid use disorder. A larger trial should assess effectiveness, covariates, and moderators of intervention effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison J Ober
- RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, United States of America.
| | - Karen C Osilla
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, United States of America
| | - David J Klein
- RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, United States of America
| | - Lane F Burgette
- RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, United States of America
| | - Isabel Leamon
- RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA, United States of America
| | - Mia W Mazer
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | | | - Stacy Collier
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Samuel Korouri
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | | | - Waguih Ishak
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Teryl Nuckols
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Itai Danovitch
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
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Choi S, O’Grady MA, Cleland CM, Knopf E, Hong S, D’Aunno T, Bao Y, Ramsey KS, Neighbors CJ. Clinics Optimizing MEthadone Take-homes for opioid use disorder (COMET): Protocol for a stepped-wedge randomized trial to facilitate clinic level changes. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286859. [PMID: 37294821 PMCID: PMC10256218 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/11/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Regulatory changes made during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) that relaxed criteria for take-home dosing (THD) of methadone offer an opportunity to improve quality of care with a lifesaving treatment. There is a pressing need for research to study the long-term effects of the new PHE THD rules and to test data-driven interventions to promote more effective adoption by opioid treatment programs (OTPs). We propose a two-phase project to develop and test a multidimensional intervention for OTPs that leverages information from large State administrative data. METHODS AND ANALYSIS We propose a two-phased project to develop then test a multidimensional OTP intervention to address clinical decision making, regulatory confusion, legal liability concerns, capacity for clinical practice change, and financial barriers to THD. The intervention will include OTP THD specific dashboards drawn from multiple State databases. The approach will be informed by the Health Equity Implementation Framework (HEIF). In phase 1, we will employ an explanatory sequential mixed methods design to combine analysis of large state administrative databases-Medicaid, treatment registry, THD reporting-with qualitative interviews to develop and refine the intervention. In phase 2, we will conduct a stepped-wedge trial over three years with 36 OTPs randomized to 6 cohorts of a six-month clinic-level intervention. The trial will test intervention effects on OTP-level implementation outcomes and patient outcomes (1) THD use; 2) retention in care; and 3) adverse healthcare events). We will specifically examine intervention effects for Black and Latinx clients. A concurrent triangulation mixed methods design will be used: quantitative and qualitative data collection will occur concurrently and results will be integrated after analysis of each. We will employ generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) in the analysis of stepped-wedge trials. The primary outcome will be weekly or greater THD. The semi-structured interviews will be transcribed and analyzed with Dedoose to identify key facilitators, barriers, and experiences according to HEIF constructs using directed content analysis. DISCUSSION This multi-phase, embedded mixed methods project addresses a critical need to support long-term practice changes in methadone treatment for opioid use disorder following systemic changes emerging from the PHE-particularly for Black and Latinx individuals with opioid use disorder. By combining findings from analyses of large administrative data with lessons gleaned from qualitative interviews of OTPs that were flexible with THD and those that were not, we will build and test the intervention to coach clinics to increase flexibility with THD. The findings will inform policy at the local and national level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sugy Choi
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, United States of America
| | - Megan A. O’Grady
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, United States of America
| | - Charles M. Cleland
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth Knopf
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, United States of America
| | - Sueun Hong
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, United States of America
- New York University Wagner School of Public Policy, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Thomas D’Aunno
- New York University Wagner School of Public Policy, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Yuhua Bao
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Kelly S. Ramsey
- New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS), New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Charles J. Neighbors
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, United States of America
- New York University Wagner School of Public Policy, New York, NY, United States of America
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Austin AE, Durrance CP, Ahrens KA, Chen Q, Hammerslag L, McDuffie MJ, Talbert J, Lanier P, Donohue JM, Jarlenski M. Duration of medication for opioid use disorder during pregnancy and postpartum by race/ethnicity: Results from 6 state Medicaid programs. Drug Alcohol Depend 2023; 247:109868. [PMID: 37058829 PMCID: PMC10198927 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.109868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) is evidence-based treatment during pregnancy and postpartum. Prior studies show racial/ethnic differences in receipt of MOUD during pregnancy. Fewer studies have examined racial/ethnic differences in MOUD receipt and duration during the first year postpartum and in the type of MOUD received during pregnancy and postpartum. METHODS We used Medicaid administrative data from 6 states to compare the percentage of women with any MOUD and the average proportion of days covered (PDC) with MOUD, overall and by type of MOUD, during pregnancy and four postpartum periods (1-90 days, 91-180 days, 181-270 days, and 271-360 days postpartum) among White non-Hispanic, Black non-Hispanic, and Hispanic women diagnosed with OUD. RESULTS White non-Hispanic women were more likely to receive any MOUD during pregnancy and all postpartum periods compared to Hispanic and Black non-Hispanic women. For all MOUD types combined and for buprenorphine, White non-Hispanic women had the highest average PDC during pregnancy and each postpartum period, followed by Hispanic women and Black non-Hispanic women (e.g., for all MOUD types, 0.49 vs. 0.41 vs. 0.23 PDC, respectively, during days 1-90 postpartum). For methadone, White non-Hispanic and Hispanic women had similar average PDC during pregnancy and postpartum, and Black non-Hispanic women had substantially lower PDC. CONCLUSIONS There are stark racial/ethnic differences in MOUD during pregnancy and the first year postpartum. Reducing these inequities is critical to improving health outcomes among pregnant and postpartum women with OUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna E Austin
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and Injury Prevention Research Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States; Injury Prevention Research Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States.
| | | | - Katherine A Ahrens
- Public Health Program, Muskie School of Public Service, University of Southern Maine, United States
| | - Qingwen Chen
- Department of Health Policy and Management, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Lindsey Hammerslag
- Institute for Biomedical Informatics, University of Kentucky, United States
| | - Mary Joan McDuffie
- Center for Community Research & Service, Biden School of Public Policy and Administration, University of Delaware, United States
| | - Jeffery Talbert
- Institute for Biomedical Informatics, University of Kentucky, United States
| | - Paul Lanier
- School of Social Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Julie M Donohue
- Department of Health Policy and Management, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Marian Jarlenski
- Department of Health Policy and Management, University of Pittsburgh, United States
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Ray B, Christian K, Bailey T, Alton M, Proctor A, Haggerty J, Lowder E, Aalsma MC. Antecedents of fatal overdose in an adult cohort identified through administrative record linkage in Indiana, 2015-2022. Drug Alcohol Depend 2023; 247:109891. [PMID: 37120921 PMCID: PMC11343318 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.109891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The United States continues to experience unprecedented rates of overdose mortality and need to identify effective policies or practices that can be implemented. This study aims to measure the prevalence, frequency, timing, and rate of touchpoints that occurred prior to a fatal overdose where communities might intervene. METHODS In collaboration with Indiana state government, we conducted record-linkage of statewide administrative datasets to vital records (January 1, 2015, through August 26, 2022) to identify touchpoints (jail booking, prison release, prescription medication dispensation, emergency department visits, and emergency medical services). We examined touchpoints within 12-months prior to a fatal overdose among an adult cohort and explored variation over time and by demographic characteristics. RESULTS Over the 92-month study period there were 13,882 overdose deaths (89.3% accidental poisonings, X40-X44) in our adult cohort that were record-linked to multiple administrative datasets and revealed nearly two-thirds (64.7%; n=8980) experienced an emergency department visit, the most prevalent touchpoint followed by prescription medication dispensation, emergency medical services responses, jail booking, and prison release. However, with approximately 1 out of every 100 returning citizens dying from drug overdose within 12-months of release, prison release had the highest touchpoint rate followed by emergency medical services responses, jail booking, emergency department visits, and prescription medication dispensation. CONCLUSION Record-linking administrative data from routine practice to vital records from overdose mortality is a viable means of identifying where resources should be situated to reduce fatal overdose, with potential to evaluate the effectiveness of overdose prevention efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley Ray
- RTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC27709, United States.
| | - Kaitlyn Christian
- Indiana Management Performance Hub, 100 North Senate Avenue, Room N855, Indianapolis, IN46204, United States
| | - Timothy Bailey
- Indiana Management Performance Hub, 100 North Senate Avenue, Room N855, Indianapolis, IN46204, United States
| | - Madison Alton
- Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction, 402 West Washington Street W353, Indiana, IN46204, United States
| | - Alison Proctor
- RTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC27709, United States
| | - John Haggerty
- RTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC27709, United States
| | - Evan Lowder
- Department of Criminology, Law and Society, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, 4F4, Fairfax, VA22030, United States
| | - Matthew C Aalsma
- Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 340 W. 10th StreetIndianapolisIN46202, United States
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Kropp FB, Smid MC, Lofwall MR, Wachman EM, Martin PR, Murphy SM, Wilder CM, Winhusen TJ. Collaborative care programs for pregnant and postpartum individuals with opioid use disorder: Organizational characteristics of sites participating in the NIDA CTN0080 MOMs study. JOURNAL OF SUBSTANCE USE AND ADDICTION TREATMENT 2023; 149:209030. [PMID: 37023858 DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2023.209030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Pregnant individuals with substance use disorders face complex issues that may serve as barriers to treatment entry and retention. Several professional organizations have established recommendations on comprehensive, collaborative approaches to treatment to meet the needs of this population, but information on real-world application is lacking. Sites participating in the NIDA CTN0080 "Medication treatment for Opioid use disorder in expectant Mothers (MOMs)"-a randomized clinical trial of extended release compared to sublingual buprenorphine among pregnant and postpartum individuals (PPI)-were selected, in part, because they have a collaborative approach to treating PPI with opioid use disorder (OUD). However, organizational differences among sites and how they implement expert recommendations for collaborative care could impact study outcomes. METHODS Prior to study launch at each of the 13 MOMs sites, investigators used the Pregnancy and Addiction Services Assessment (PAASA) to collect information about organizational factors. Input from a team of addiction, perinatal, and economic evaluation experts guided the development of the PAASA. Investigators programmed the PAASA into a web-based data system and summarized the resultant site data using descriptive statistics. RESULTS Study sites represented four US census regions. Most sites were specialty obstetrics & gynecology (OB/GYN) programs providing OUD services (n = 9, 69.2 %), were affiliated with an academic institution (n = 11, 84.6 %), and prescribed buprenorphine in an ambulatory/outpatient setting (n = 11, 84.6 %); all sites offered access to naloxone. Sites reported that their population was primarily White, utilized public insurance, and faced numerous psychosocial barriers to treatment. Although all sites offered many services recommended by expert consensus groups, they varied in how they coordinated these services. CONCLUSIONS By providing the organizational characteristics of sites participating in the MOMs study, this report assists in filling the current gap in knowledge regarding similar programs providing services to PPI with OUD. Collaborative care programs such as those participating in MOMs are uniquely positioned to participate in research to determine the most effective models of care and to determine how research can be integrated into those clinical care settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frankie B Kropp
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3131 Harvey Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
| | - Marcela C Smid
- University of Utah, 50 N. Medical Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA.
| | - Michelle R Lofwall
- Departments of Behavioral Science and Psychiatry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 845 Angliana Avenue, Lexington, KY 40508, USA.
| | - Elisha M Wachman
- Boston Medical Center, 801 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02119, USA.
| | - Peter R Martin
- Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1601 23rd Avenue South, Suite 3035, Nashville, TN 372124, USA.
| | - Sean M Murphy
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| | - Christine M Wilder
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3131 Harvey Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Center for Addiction Research, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3230 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA.
| | - T John Winhusen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3131 Harvey Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Center for Addiction Research, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3230 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA.
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Cartus AR, Marshall BDL. Invited Commentary: On the Mathematization of Epidemiology as a Socially Engaged Quantitative Science. Am J Epidemiol 2023; 192:757-759. [PMID: 36632844 PMCID: PMC10423628 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwad010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Ensuring that patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) have access to optimal medication therapies is a critical challenge in substance use epidemiology. Rudolph et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2023;XXX(X):XXXX-XXXX) demonstrated that sophisticated data-adaptive statistical techniques can be used to learn optimal, individualized treatment rules that can aid providers in choosing a medication treatment modality for a particular patient with OUD. This important work also highlights the effects of the mathematization of epidemiologic research. Here, we define mathematization and demonstrate how it operates in the context of effectiveness research on medications for OUD using the paper by Rudolph et al. as a springboard. In particular, we address the normative dimension of mathematization and how it tends to resolve a fundamental tension in epidemiologic practice between technical sophistication and public health considerations in favor of more technical solutions. The process of mathematization is a fundamental part of epidemiology; we argue not for eliminating it but for balancing mathematization and technical demands equally with practical and community-centric public health needs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brandon D L Marshall
- Correspondence to Dr. Brandon Marshall, 121 S. Main Street, Providence, RI 02903 (e-mail: )
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Rudolph KE, Williams NT, Díaz I, Luo SX, Rotrosen J, Nunes EV. Optimally Choosing Medication Type for Patients With Opioid Use Disorder. Am J Epidemiol 2023; 192:748-756. [PMID: 36549900 PMCID: PMC10423632 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwac217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) tend to get assigned to one of 3 medications based on the treatment program to which the patient presents (e.g., opioid treatment programs tend to treat patients with methadone, while office-based practices tend to prescribe buprenorphine). It is possible that optimally matching patients with treatment type would reduce the risk of return to regular opioid use (RROU). We analyzed data from 3 comparative effectiveness trials from the US National Institute on Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network (CTN0027, 2006-2010; CTN0030, 2006-2009; and CTN0051 2014-2017), in which patients with OUD (n = 1,459) were assigned to treatment with either injection extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX), sublingual buprenorphine-naloxone (BUP-NX), or oral methadone. We learned an individualized rule by which to assign medication type such that risk of RROU during 12 weeks of treatment would be minimized, and then estimated the amount by which RROU risk could be reduced if the rule were applied. Applying our estimated treatment rule would reduce risk of RROU compared with treating everyone with methadone (relative risk (RR) = 0.79, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.60, 0.97) or treating everyone with XR-NTX (RR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.47, 0.96). Applying the estimated treatment rule would have resulted in a similar risk of RROU to that of with treating everyone with BUP-NX (RR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.73, 1.11).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara E Rudolph
- Correspondence to Dr. Kara Rudolph, 722 W. 168th Street, Room 522, New York, NY 10032 (e-mail: )
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Kitsantas P, Aljoudi SM, Baker KM, Peppard L, Oh KM. Racial/ethnic differences in medication for addiction treatment for opioid use disorders among pregnant women in treatment facilities supported by state funds. JOURNAL OF SUBSTANCE USE AND ADDICTION TREATMENT 2023; 148:208960. [PMID: 37102193 DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2023.208960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Medication for addiction treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD) in pregnant women is known to improve neonatal health outcomes. Despite the benefits of this evidence-based treatment for OUD, MAT has been underutilized during pregnancy among certain racial/ethnic groups of women in the United States. The purpose of this study was to examine racial/ethnic differences and factors that affect MAT administration among pregnant women with OUD seeking treatment at publicly funded facilities. METHODS We used data from the 2010-2019 Treatment Episode Data Set system. The analytic sample included 15,777 pregnant women with OUD. We built logistic regression models to examine associations between race/ethnicity and MAT and determine differences and similarities in factors that may influence the use of MAT across racial/ethnic groups of pregnant women with OUD. RESULTS Although in this sample only 31.6 % received MAT, an increasing trend of MAT receipt has been observed during 2010-2019. Approximately 44 % of the Hispanic pregnant women received MAT, and this was significantly higher than non-Hispanic Black (27.1 %) and White (31.3 %) women. Even after adjusting for potential confounders, the adjusted odds of receiving MAT during pregnancy were lower for Black (AOR = 0.57, 95 % CI 0.44, 0.75) and White (AOR = 0.75, 95 % CI 0.61, 0.91) women compared to Hispanic women. Not being in the labor force increased the odds of receiving MAT in Hispanic women relative to their employed counterparts while homelessness or dependent living decreased the odds of MAT for White women compared to those living independently. Regardless of their racial/ethnic background, pregnant women younger than 29 years old were less likely to receive MAT relative to older women; however, if they were arrested once prior to admission to treatment, they had significantly higher odds of receiving MAT than those with no arrests. Treatment of at least 7 months was associated with a higher likelihood of MAT across all racial/ethnic groups. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the underutilization of MAT, particularly among pregnant Black and White women who seek treatment for OUD in publicly funded treatment facilities. A multi-dimensional approach to MAT intervention programs is needed to increase MAT for all pregnant women and reduce racial/ethnic inequities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiota Kitsantas
- Department of Health Administration and Policy, George Mason University, 4400 University Dr., MS 1J3, Fairfax, VA 22030-4444, United States of America.
| | - Salman M Aljoudi
- Department of Health Administration and Policy, George Mason University, 4400 University Dr., MS 1J3, Fairfax, VA 22030-4444, United States of America
| | - Kelley M Baker
- Department of Health Administration and Policy, George Mason University, 4400 University Dr., MS 1J3, Fairfax, VA 22030-4444, United States of America
| | - Lora Peppard
- Washington/Baltimore HIDTA 1800 Alexander Bell Drive, Suite 300, Reston, VA 20191
| | - Kyeung Mi Oh
- School of Nursing, George Mason University, 4400 University Dr., MS 3C4, Fairfax, VA 22030-4444, United States of America
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Xu KY, Jones HE, Schiff DM, Martin CE, Kelly JC, Carter EB, Bierut LJ, Grucza RA. Initiation and Treatment Discontinuation of Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in Pregnant People Compared With Nonpregnant People. Obstet Gynecol 2023; 141:845-853. [PMID: 36897142 PMCID: PMC10201921 DOI: 10.1097/aog.0000000000005117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the association between pregnancy and medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) initiation and discontinuation among reproductive-aged people receiving treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) in the United States. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study of people with gender recorded as female, aged 18-45 years, in the Merative TM MarketScan ® Commercial and Multi-State Medicaid Databases (2006-2016). Opioid use disorder and pregnancy status were identified based on inpatient or outpatient claims for established International Classification of Diseases, Ninth and Tenth Revision diagnosis and procedure codes. The main outcomes were buprenorphine and methadone initiation and discontinuation, determined by using pharmacy and outpatient procedure claims. Analyses were conducted at the treatment episode level. Adjusting for insurance status, age, and co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders, we used logistic regression to estimate MOUD initiation and used Cox regression to estimate MOUD discontinuation. RESULTS Our sample included 101,772 reproductive-aged people with OUD, encompassing 155,771 treatment episodes (mean age 30.8 years, 64.4% Medicaid insurance, 84.1% White), of whom 2,687 (3.2%, encompassing 3,325 episodes) were pregnant. In the pregnant group, 51.2% of treatment episodes (1,703/3,325) involved psychosocial treatment without MOUD, in comparison with 61.1% (93,156/152,446) in the nonpregnant comparator group. In adjusted analyses assessing likelihood of initiation for individual MOUD, pregnancy status was associated with an increase in buprenorphine (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.57, 95% CI 1.44-1.70) and methadone initiation (aOR 2.04, 95% CI 1.82-2.27). Discontinuation rates of MOUD at 270 days were high for both buprenorphine (72.4% for nonpregnant episodes vs 59.9% for pregnant episodes) and methadone (65.7% for nonpregnant episodes vs 54.1% for pregnant episodes). Pregnancy was associated with a decreased likelihood of discontinuation at 270 days for both buprenorphine (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.71, 95% CI 0.67-0.76) and methadone (aHR 0.68, 95% CI 0.61-0.75), in comparison with nonpregnant status. CONCLUSION Although a minority of reproductive-aged people with OUD in the United States are initiated on MOUD, pregnancy is associated with a significant increase in treatment initiation and a reduced risk of medication discontinuation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Y Xu
- Health and Behavior Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Hendrée E Jones
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Davida M Schiff
- Division of General Academic Pediatrics, Mass General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Caitlin E Martin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and VCU Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Jeannie C Kelly
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and the Division of Clinical Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ebony B Carter
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and the Division of Clinical Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Laura J Bierut
- Health and Behavior Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Alvin J Siteman Cancer Center, Barnes Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Richard A Grucza
- Health and Behavior Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Departments of Family and Community Medicine and Health and Outcomes Research, St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA
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Winograd RP, Coffey B, Woolfolk C, Wood CA, Ilavarasan V, Liss D, Jain S, Stringfellow E. To Prescribe or Not to Prescribe?: Barriers and Motivators for Progressing Along Each Stage of the Buprenorphine Training and Prescribing Path. J Behav Health Serv Res 2023; 50:165-180. [PMID: 35060002 DOI: 10.1007/s11414-021-09783-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to identify the strongest barriers and motivators associated with each step toward buprenorphine prescribing (1. obtaining a waiver, 2. beginning to prescribe, and 3. prescribing to more people) among a sample of Missouri-based medical professionals (N = 130). Item weights (number of endorsements times mean rank of the item's importance) were calculated based on their responses. Across groups, lack of access to psychosocial support services, need for higher levels of care, and clinical complexity were strong barriers. Among non-prescribers (n = 57, 46.3%), administrative burden, potential of becoming an addiction clinic, and concern about misuse and diversion were most heavily weighted. Among prescribers (n = 66, 53.7%), patients' inability to afford medications was a barrier across phases. Prominent motivators among all groups were the effectiveness of buprenorphine, improvement in other health outcomes, and a personal interest in treating addiction. Only prescribers reported the presence of institutional support and mentors as significant motivators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel P Winograd
- St. Louis - Missouri Institute of Mental Health, University of Missouri, 43 Benton Court, St. Louis, MO, 63121, USA.
| | - Bridget Coffey
- St. Louis - Missouri Institute of Mental Health, University of Missouri, 43 Benton Court, St. Louis, MO, 63121, USA
| | - Candice Woolfolk
- St. Louis - Missouri Institute of Mental Health, University of Missouri, 43 Benton Court, St. Louis, MO, 63121, USA
| | - Claire A Wood
- St. Louis - Missouri Institute of Mental Health, University of Missouri, 43 Benton Court, St. Louis, MO, 63121, USA
| | - Vinith Ilavarasan
- St. Louis - Missouri Institute of Mental Health, University of Missouri, 43 Benton Court, St. Louis, MO, 63121, USA
| | - David Liss
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Subodh Jain
- Spectrum Health, Division of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, 2750 E Beltline NE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49525, USA
| | - Erin Stringfellow
- Massachusetts General Hospital Institute for Technology Assessment & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Walters SM, Liu W, Lamuda P, Huh J, Brewer R, Johnson O, Bluthenthal RN, Taylor B, Schneider JA. A National Portrait of Public Attitudes toward Opioid Use in the US: A Latent Class Analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:4455. [PMID: 36901465 PMCID: PMC10001548 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20054455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Opioid overdose rates have steadily been increasing in the United States (US) creating what is considered an overdose death crisis. The US has a mixture of public health and punitive policies aimed to address opioid use and the overdose crisis, yet little is known about public opinion relating to opioid use and policy support. Understanding the intersection of public opinion about opioid use disorder (OUD) and policy can be useful for developing interventions to address policy responses to overdose deaths. METHODS A national sample of cross-sectional data from the AmeriSpeak survey conducted from 27 February 2020 through 2 March 2020 was analyzed. Measures included attitudes toward OUD and policy beliefs. Latent class analysis, a person-centered approach, was used to identify groups of individuals endorsing similar stigma and policy beliefs. We then examined the relationship between the identified groups (i.e., classes) and key behavioral and demographic factors. RESULTS We identified three distinct groups: (1) "High Stigma/High Punitive Policy", (2) "High Stigma/Mixed Public Health and Punitive Policy", and (3) "Low Stigma/High Public Health Policy". People with higher levels of education had reduced odds of being in the "High Stigma/High Punitive Policy" group. CONCLUSION Public health policies are most effective in addressing OUD. We suggest targeting interventions toward the "High Stigma/Mixed Public Health and Punitive Policy" group since this group already displays some support for public health policies. Broader interventions, such as eliminating stigmatizing messaging in the media and redacting punitive policies, could reduce OUD stigma among all groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzan M. Walters
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
- Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Weiwei Liu
- Public Health Department, NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60603, USA
| | - Phoebe Lamuda
- Public Health Department, NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60603, USA
| | - Jimi Huh
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Russell Brewer
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - O’Dell Johnson
- Southern Public Health and Criminal Justice Research Center, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Ricky N. Bluthenthal
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Bruce Taylor
- Public Health Department, NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60603, USA
| | - John A. Schneider
- Public Health Department, NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60603, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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Cobb CD, Allen SN, Cusimano JM, Ding M, Eloma AS, Ott CA, Tallian KB. Social Determinants of Health in People Living with Psychiatric Disorders: The Role of Pharmacists. Health Equity 2023; 7:223-234. [PMID: 37096056 PMCID: PMC10122249 DOI: 10.1089/heq.2022.0189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Social determinants of health (SDOH) affect outcomes of people living with psychiatric disorders, including substance use disorders. As experts in medication optimization, pharmacists play a vital role in identifying and addressing medication-related problems associated with SDOH. However, there is a paucity of literature on how pharmacists can be part of the solution. Objective The purpose of this article is to provide a narrative review and commentary on the intersection between SDOH, medication-related outcomes in people living with psychiatric disorders, and the role of pharmacists in addressing them. Method The American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists appointed an expert panel to research the issue, identify barriers, and develop a framework for including pharmacists in addressing medication therapy problems associated with SDOH in people with psychiatric disorders. The panel used Healthy People 2030 as the framework and sought input from public health officials to propose solutions for their commentary. Results We identified potential connections between SDOH and their impact on medication use in people with psychiatric disorders. We provide examples of how comprehensive medication management can afford opportunities for pharmacists to mitigate medication-related problems associated with SDOH. Conclusion Public health officials should be aware of the vital role that pharmacists play in addressing medication therapy problems associated with SDOH to improve health outcomes and to incorporate them in health promotion programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla D. Cobb
- Capital Consulting, Billings, Montana, USA
- Address correspondence to: Carla D. Cobb, PharmD, BCPP, Capital Consulting, 8055 O Street, Suite S113, Lincoln, NE 68510, USA.
| | | | - Joseph M. Cusimano
- Pharmacy Practice Department, Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy, Shenandoah University, Winchester, Virginia, USA
| | | | - Amanda S. Eloma
- Kings County Hospital, NYC Health + Hospitals, Brooklyn, New York, USA
| | - Carol A. Ott
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Purdue University/Eskenazi Health, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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Choe K, Zinn E, Lu K, Hoang D, Yang LH. Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on chronic pain and opioid use in marginalized populations: A scoping review. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1046683. [PMID: 37139395 PMCID: PMC10150088 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1046683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has had a variable effect on vulnerable populations, including patients with chronic pain who rely on opioid treatment or have comorbid opioid use disorder. Limited access to care due to isolation measures may lead to increased pain severity, worse mental health symptoms, and adverse opioid-related outcomes. This scoping review aimed to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the dual epidemics of chronic pain and opioids in marginalized communities worldwide. Methods Searches of primary databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and PsycINFO were performed in March 2022, restricting the publication date to December 1, 2019. The search yielded 685 articles. After title and abstract screening, 526 records were screened by title and abstract, 87 through full-text review, of which 25 articles were included in the final analysis. Results Our findings illuminate the differential distribution of pain burden across marginalized groups and how it serves to heighten existing disparities. Service disruptions due to social distancing orders and infrastructural limitations prevented patients from receiving the care they needed, resulting in adverse psychological and physical health outcomes. Efforts to adapt to COVID-19 circumstances included modifications to opioid prescribing regulations and workflows and expanded telemedicine services. Conclusion Results have implications for the prevention and management of chronic pain and opioid use disorder, such as challenges in adopting telemedicine in low-resource settings and opportunities to strengthen public health and social care systems with a multidisciplinary and multidimensional approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Choe
- School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Karen Choe,
| | - Eleanor Zinn
- Teachers College Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Kevin Lu
- Teachers College Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Dung Hoang
- Teachers College Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Lawrence H. Yang
- School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, United States
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
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Bartholomew TS, Andraka-Cristou B, Totaram RK, Harris S, Doblecki-Lewis S, Ostrer L, Serota DP, Forrest DW, Chueng TA, Suarez E, Tookes HE. "We want everything in a one-stop shop": acceptability and feasibility of PrEP and buprenorphine implementation with mobile syringe services for Black people who inject drugs. Harm Reduct J 2022; 19:133. [PMID: 36463183 PMCID: PMC9719627 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-022-00721-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION A recent surge in HIV outbreaks, driven by the opioid and stimulant use crises, has destabilized our progress toward targets set forth by Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America for the high-priority community of people who inject drugs (PWID), particularly Black PWID. METHODS In order to ascertain the acceptability and feasibility of using a mobile syringe services program (SSP) for comprehensive HIV prevention via PrEP and medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), our mixed methods approach included a quantitative assessment and semi-structured qualitative interviews with Black PWID (n = 30) in Miami-Dade County who were actively engaged in mobile syringe services. RESULTS Participants felt that delivery of MOUD and PrEP at a mobile SSP would be both feasible and acceptable, helping to address transportation, cost, and stigma barriers common within traditional healthcare settings. Participants preferred staff who are compassionate and nonjudgmental and have lived experience. CONCLUSIONS A mobile harm reduction setting could be an effective venue for delivering comprehensive HIV prevention services to Black PWID, a community that experiences significant barriers to care via marginalization and racism in a fragmented healthcare system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler S. Bartholomew
- grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606Division of Health Services Research and Policy, Department of Public Health Sciences, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1120 NW 14th St., #1020, Miami, FL 33136 USA
| | - Barbara Andraka-Cristou
- grid.170430.10000 0001 2159 2859Department of Health Management and Informatics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL USA ,grid.170430.10000 0001 2159 2859Department of Internal Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL USA
| | - Rachel K. Totaram
- grid.170430.10000 0001 2159 2859Department of Health Management and Informatics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL USA
| | - Shana Harris
- grid.170430.10000 0001 2159 2859Department of Internal Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL USA ,grid.170430.10000 0001 2159 2859Department of Anthropology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL USA
| | - Susanne Doblecki-Lewis
- grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL USA
| | - Lily Ostrer
- grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL USA
| | - David P. Serota
- grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL USA
| | - David W. Forrest
- grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606Department of Anthropology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, FL USA
| | - Teresa A. Chueng
- grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL USA
| | - Edward Suarez
- grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL USA
| | - Hansel E. Tookes
- grid.26790.3a0000 0004 1936 8606Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL USA
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Wakeman SE, Lambert E, Kung S, Brisbon NM, Carroll AD, Hickman TT, Covahey C, Sequist TD, Weiner SG. Trends in buprenorphine treatment disparities during the COVID pandemic in Massachusetts. Subst Abus 2022; 43:1317-1321. [PMID: 35896001 DOI: 10.1080/08897077.2022.2095077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
Background: Racial, sex, and age disparities in buprenorphine treatment have previously been demonstrated. We evaluated trends in buprenorphine treatment disparities before and after the onset of the COVID pandemic in Massachusetts. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from an integrated health system comparing 12-months before and after the March 2020 Massachusetts COVID state of emergency declaration, excluding March as a washout period. Among patients with a clinical encounter during the study periods with a diagnosis of opioid use disorder or opioid poisoning, we extracted outpatient buprenorphine prescription rates by age, sex, race and ethnicity, and language. Generating univariable and multivariable Poisson regression models, we calculated the probability of receiving buprenorphine. Results: Among 4,530 patients seen in the period before the COVID emergency declaration, 57.9% received buprenorphine. Among 3,653 patients seen in the second time period, 55.1% received buprenorphine. Younger patients (<24) had a lower likelihood of receiving buprenorphine in both time periods (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR), 0.56; 95% CI, 0.42-0.75 before vs. aPR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.60-0.96 after). Male patients had a greater likelihood of receiving buprenorphine compared to female patients in both time periods (aPR: 1.05; 95% CI, 1.00-1.11 vs. aPR: 1.09; 95% CI, 1.02-1.16). Racial disparities emerged in the time period following the COVID pandemic, with non-Hispanic Black patients having a lower likelihood of receiving buprenorphine compared to non-Hispanic white patients in the second time period (aPR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.72-0.99). Conclusions: Following the onset of the COVID pandemic in Massachusetts, ongoing racial, age, and gender disparities were evident in buprenorphine treatment with younger, Black, and female patients less likely to be treated with buprenorphine across an integrated health system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Wakeman
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Mass General Brigham, Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eugene Lambert
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sunny Kung
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Aleta D Carroll
- Mass General Brigham, Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Thu-Trang Hickman
- Mass General Brigham, Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Thomas D Sequist
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Mass General Brigham, Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Scott G Weiner
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
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