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West BS, Krasnova A, Philbin MM, Diaz JE, Kane JC, Mauro PM. HIV status and substance use disorder treatment need and utilization among adults in the United States, 2015-2019: Implications for healthcare service provision and integration. JOURNAL OF SUBSTANCE USE AND ADDICTION TREATMENT 2024; 164:209440. [PMID: 38880303 DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2024.209440] [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: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Substance use disorders (SUD) are associated with HIV acquisition and care disruptions. Most research focuses on clinical samples; however, we used a nationally representative, community-based sample to estimate SUD treatment need and utilization by HIV status. METHODS We included participants from the 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health aged 18 and older who met past-year DSM-IV SUD criteria (n = 22,166). Participants self-reported whether a healthcare professional ever told them they had HIV or AIDS [i.e., people with HIV (PWH), non-PWH, HIV status unknown]. Outcomes included past-year: 1) any SUD treatment use; 2) any specialty SUD treatment use; and 3) perceived SUD treatment need. Survey weighted multivariable logistic regression models estimated the likelihood of each outcome by HIV status, adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, survey year, health insurance status, and household income. RESULTS Overall, 0.5 % were PWH and 0.8 % had an HIV unknown status. Any past-year SUD treatment utilization was low across all groups (10.3 % non-PWH, 24.2 % PWH, and 17.3 % HIV status unknown respondents). Specialty SUD treatment utilization was reported by 7.2 % of non-PWH, 17.8 % PWH, and 10.9 % HIV status unknown respondents. Perceived treatment need was reported by 4.9 % of non-PWH, 12.4 % of PWH, and 3.7 % of HIV status unknown respondents. In adjusted models, PWH were more likely than non-PWH to report any past-year SUD treatment utilization (aOR = 2.06; 95 % CI = 1.08-3.94) or past-year specialty SUD treatment utilization (aOR = 2.07; 95 % CI = 1.07-4.01). Among those with a drug use disorder other than cannabis, respondents with HIV-unknown status were less likely than HIV-negative individuals to report past-year perceived treatment need (aOR = 0.39; 95 % CI = 0.20-0.77). CONCLUSIONS Despite high SUD treatment need among PWH, more than three quarters of PWH with SUD reported no past-year treatment. Compared to non-PWH, PWH had higher treatment utilization and higher specialty treatment utilization, but SUD treatment was low across all groups. As SUD is associated with adverse HIV outcomes, our findings highlight the need for the integration of SUD treatment with HIV testing and care. Increasing access to SUD treatment could help reduce negative SUD-related outcomes along the HIV care continuum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke S West
- School of Social Work, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America.
| | - Anna Krasnova
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Morgan M Philbin
- Division of Vulnerable Populations, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - José E Diaz
- SUNY Downstate, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Jeremy C Kane
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Pia M Mauro
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
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Outram SM, Koester KA, Moran L, Steward WT, Arnold EA. Syndemic Theory and Its Use in Developing Health Interventions and Programming: A Scoping Review. Curr HIV/AIDS Rep 2024:10.1007/s11904-024-00707-y. [PMID: 39162989 DOI: 10.1007/s11904-024-00707-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The central tenet of syndemics theory is that disease interactions are driven by social factors, and that these factors have to be understood in order to reduce the health burdens of local populations. Without an understanding of the theory and how it is being put into practice, there is a strong possibility of losing the potential for syndemic theory to positively impact change at community and individual level. METHODS Following an initial database search that produced 921 articles, we developed a multi-stage scoping review process identifying invention studies that employ syndemic theory. Inclusion was defined as the presence of healthcare interventions examining multiple social-biological outcomes, refering to a specific (local) at risk population, developing or attempting to develop interventions impacting upon multiple health and/or social targets, and explicit employment of syndemic theory in developing the intervention. RESULTS A total of 45 articles contained a substantial engagement with syndemic theory and an original healthcare intervention. However, only eleven studies out of all 921 articles met the inclusion criteria. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION It is strongly suggested that when employing syndemic theory researchers focus close attention to demonstrating disease interactions, providing evidence of the social drivers of these disease interactions, and constructing interventions grounded in these analytical findings. We conclude that although frequently referred to, syndemic theory is rarely employed in its entirety and recommend that interventions be developed using a more thorough grounding in this important and powerful theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon M Outram
- Division of Prevention Science, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
| | - Kimberly A Koester
- Division of Prevention Science, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Lissa Moran
- Division of Prevention Science, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Wayne T Steward
- Division of Prevention Science, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Emily A Arnold
- Division of Prevention Science, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
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Srivastava P, Modi V, Lier AJ. Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Incidence, STI Screening, and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Preexposure Prophylaxis Uptake in United States Veterans With Opioid Use Disorder in Long Island, New York. Open Forum Infect Dis 2024; 11:ofae429. [PMID: 39086462 PMCID: PMC11289836 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofae429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Opioid use disorder (OUD) confers increased risk of contracting bloodborne and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Limited data exist on infectious disease screening and preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) usage among United States Veterans (USVs) with OUD, including persons who inject drugs (PWID). This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiology of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), bacterial STIs, and PrEP uptake in USVs with OUD, including PWID. Methods A retrospective chart review of USVs with OUD seeking care at Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center between 2012 and 2022 was completed. Sociodemographics, HIV, HCV, STI testing rates and diagnosis, and PrEP uptake were compared between USVs, stratified by injection drug use history. Results We identified 502 USVs with OUD; 43% had a history of injection drug use. Overall, 2.2% of USVs had HIV and 28.7% had HCV. An STI was diagnosed in 10% of USVs, most frequently syphilis (1.8%). PWID were more likely to be tested for HIV (93.5% PWID vs. 73.1% non-PWID; P < .001), HCV (95.8% PWID vs. 80.8% non-PWID; P < .001), and syphilis (80% PWID vs. 69.2% non-PWID; P = .006). Total gonorrhea and chlamydia testing rates were 31.9% and 33.7%, respectively, without difference between the groups. PrEP was prescribed in 1.2% of USVs. Conclusions In USVs with OUD, gonorrhea and chlamydia screening occurred less frequently than syphilis, HCV, and HIV. PWID were more likely to be screened for HIV, HCV, and syphilis. PrEP uptake was low. Both PWID and non-PWID may benefit from increased STI screening and linkage to PrEP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pronoma Srivastava
- Department of Internal Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Viraj Modi
- Department of Medicine, Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Northport, New York, USA
| | - Audun J Lier
- Department of Medicine, Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Northport, New York, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Northport, New York, USA
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Knettel BA, Chen H, Wilson E, Agor D, McKellar MS, Reif S. Provider perspectives on screening and treatment for opioid use disorder and mental health in HIV care: A qualitative study. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0305174. [PMID: 38913659 PMCID: PMC11195992 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305174] [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: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND HIV, opioid use disorder (OUD), and mental health challenges share multiple syndemic risk factors. Each can be effectively treated with routine outpatient appointments, medication management, and psychosocial support, leading implementers to consider integrated screening and treatment for OUD and mental health in HIV care. Provider perspectives are crucial to understanding barriers and strategies for treatment integration. METHODS We conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with 21 HIV treatment providers and social services providers (12 individual interviews and 1 group interview with 9 participants) to understand the current landscape, goals, and priorities for integrated OUD, mental health, and HIV care. Providers were purposively recruited from known clinics in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, U.S.A. Data were analyzed using applied thematic analysis in the NVivo 12 software program and evaluated for inter-coder agreement. RESULTS Participants viewed substance use and mental health challenges as prominent barriers to engagement in HIV care. However, few organizations have integrated structured screening for substance use and mental health into their standard of care. Even fewer screen for opioid use. Although medication assisted treatment (MAT) is effective for mitigating OUD, providers struggle to connect patients with MAT due to limited referral options, social barriers such as housing and food insecurity, overburdened staff, stigma, and lack of provider training. Providers believed there would be clear benefit to integrating OUD and mental health treatment in HIV care but lacked resources for implementation. CONCLUSIONS Integration of screening and treatment for substance use and mental health in HIV care could mitigate many current barriers to treatment for all three conditions. Efforts are needed to train HIV providers to provide MAT, expand resources, and implement best practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon A. Knettel
- Duke University School of Nursing, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Hillary Chen
- Duke Department of Population Health Sciences, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Elena Wilson
- Center for Health Policy & Inequalities Research, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - David Agor
- University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Mehri S. McKellar
- Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Susan Reif
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Center for Health Policy & Inequalities Research, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
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Hershow RB, Love Pieczykolan L, Worthington N, Adams M, McDonald R, Wilson S, McBee S, Balleydier S, Curran KG. Were Needles Everywhere?: Differing Views on Syringe Waste and Disposal Associated With Needs-Based Syringe Services Programs Among Community Partners and Persons Who Inject Drugs. Subst Use Misuse 2024; 59:1174-1181. [PMID: 38509704 PMCID: PMC11103866 DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2024.2330895] [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] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Community concerns surrounding syringe waste are a common barrier to syringe services program (SSP) implementation. In Kanawha County, West Virginia, community opposition to SSPs resulted in the closure of needs-based SSPs prior to and during an HIV outbreak among persons who inject drugs (PWID). This qualitative analysis examines views of PWID and community partners on syringe waste and disposal associated with needs-based SSPs. METHODS Qualitative interviews with 26 PWID and 45 community partners (medical and social service providers, law enforcement personnel, policymakers, and religious leaders) were conducted. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded. Code summaries described participants' views on syringe waste and disposal and needs-based SSPs. RESULTS Community partners and PWID who favored needs-based SSPs reported that needs-based SSPs had not affected or reduced syringe waste. Conversely, community partners who favored one-to-one exchange models and/or barcoded syringes described needs-based SSPs increasing syringe waste. Community partners often cited pervasive community beliefs that SSPs increased syringe waste, risk of needlesticks, drug use, and crime. Community partners were unsure how to address syringe waste concerns and emphasized that contradictory views on syringe waste posed barriers to discussing and implementing SSPs. CONCLUSIONS Participants' views on whether syringe waste was associated with needs-based SSPs often aligned with their support or opposition for needs-based SSPs. These differing views resulted in challenges finding common ground to discuss SSP operations amid an HIV outbreak among PWID. SSPs might consider addressing syringe waste concerns by expanding syringe disposal efforts and implementing community engagement and stigma reduction activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca B. Hershow
- Division of HIV Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Lauren Love Pieczykolan
- Division of HIV Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Nancy Worthington
- Division of Overdose Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Monica Adams
- Division of Viral Hepatitis, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Robert McDonald
- Division of STD Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Suzanne Wilson
- West Virginia Bureau for Public Health, West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Charleston, West Virginia, USA
| | - Shannon McBee
- West Virginia Bureau for Public Health, West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Charleston, West Virginia, USA
| | - Shawn Balleydier
- West Virginia Bureau for Public Health, West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Charleston, West Virginia, USA
| | - Kathryn G. Curran
- Division of HIV Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Yazdani K, Dhillon N, Tung A, Ye M, Trigg J, Stanley C, Ni Gusti Ayu N, McLinden T, Lima VD, Barrios R, Hogg R, Montaner JSG, Salters K. Dynamics of overdose and non-overdose mortality among people living with HIV amidst the illicit drug toxicity crisis in British Columbia. AIDS Care 2024; 36:263-271. [PMID: 37094365 DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2023.2195605] [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] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
We sought to characterize overdose and non-overdose mortality among PLWH amidst the illicit drug toxicity crisis in British Columbia, Canada. A population-based analysis of PLWH (age ≥19) in British Columbia accessing healthcare from April 1996 to March 2017 was conducted using data from the Seek and Treat for Optimal Prevention of HIV/AIDS (STOP HIV/AIDS) cohort linkage. Underlying causes of deaths were stratified into overdose and non-overdose causes. We compared (bivariate analysis) health-related characteristics and prescription history between PLWH died of overdose and non-overdose causes between April 2009 and March 2017. Among 9,180 PLWH, we observed 962 deaths (142 [14.7%] overdoses; 820 [85.2%] other causes). Compared to those who died from other causes, those who died of overdose were significantly younger (median age [Q, Q3]: 46 years [42, 52] vs. 54 years [48, 63]); had an indication of chronic pain (35.9% vs. 27.1%) and hepatitis C virus (64.8% vs. 50.4%), but fewer experienced hospitalization in the year before death. PLWH who died were most likely to be prescribed with opioids (>50%) and least likely with opioid agonist therapy (<10%) in a year before death. These findings highlight the syndemic of substance use, HCV, and chronic pain, and how the crisis is unqiuely impacting females and younger people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiana Yazdani
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Nalin Dhillon
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Audrey Tung
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Monica Ye
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Jason Trigg
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Cole Stanley
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Nanditha Ni Gusti Ayu
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Taylor McLinden
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Viviane D Lima
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Rolando Barrios
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, Canada
- Vancouver Coastal Health, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Robert Hogg
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, Canada
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - Julio S G Montaner
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Kate Salters
- British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, Canada
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
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Hershow RB, Worthington N, Adams M, McDonald R, Wilson S, McBee S, Balleydier S, Curran KG. A Qualitative Analysis of Barriers to Accessing HIV Prevention Services During an HIV Outbreak among Persons who Inject Drugs in West Virginia. AIDS Behav 2024; 28:669-681. [PMID: 38165598 PMCID: PMC10922593 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-023-04254-2] [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] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024]
Abstract
In response to an increase in HIV diagnoses among persons who inject drugs (PWID) in Kanawha County, West Virginia, West Virginia Bureau for Public Health and CDC conducted a qualitative assessment in Kanawha County to inform HIV outbreak response activities. Interviews with 26 PWID and 45 community partners were completed. Transcribed interviews were analyzed to identify barriers to accessing HIV prevention services among PWID using the risk environment framework. Participants identified numerous political, physical, social, and economic community-level barriers that influenced access to HIV prevention services among PWID. Political factors included low community support for syringe services programs (SSPs); physical factors included low SSP coverage, low coverage of HIV testing outreach events, low HIV preexposure prophylaxis availability, and homelessness; social factors included stigma and discrimination; economic factors included community beliefs that SSPs negatively affect economic investments and limited resources for HIV screening in clinical settings. Individual-level barriers included co-occurring acute medical conditions and mental illness. Community-level interventions, such as low-barrier one-stop shop models, are needed to increase access to sterile syringes through comprehensive harm reduction services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca B Hershow
- Division of HIV Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Nancy Worthington
- Division of Overdose Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Monica Adams
- Division of Viral Hepatitis, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Robert McDonald
- Division of STD Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Suzanne Wilson
- West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, West Virginia Bureau for Public Health, Charleston, WV, USA
| | - Shannon McBee
- West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, West Virginia Bureau for Public Health, Charleston, WV, USA
| | - Shawn Balleydier
- West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, West Virginia Bureau for Public Health, Charleston, WV, USA
| | - Kathryn G Curran
- Division of HIV Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Schwarz T, Anzenberger J, Busch M, Gmel G, Kraus L, Krausz M, Labhart F, Meyer M, Schaub MP, Westenberg JN, Uhl A. Opioid agonist treatment in transition: A cross-country comparison between Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Drug Alcohol Depend 2024; 254:111036. [PMID: 38091902 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.111036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS OAT is a well developed and successful treatment strategy for opioid dependent patients in Europe. It has significantly contributed to the fight against the HIV and HCV pandemics, leading to an increased life expectancy in this population. Building on the OAT experiences in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland and their models of care, the objective of this study is to analyse experiences and changes in patient structures to identify necessary adaptations for the system of care. METHODS We analysed national register-based data from patients receiving OAT during the period spanning from 2010 to 2020 in Austria, Germany (cases), and Switzerland. We examined and compared OAT policies and practice at national levels through a review of literature and publicly available policy documents. RESULTS Across these three countries, the life expectancy of OAT patients increased substantially. The mean age increased from 33.0 in 2010 to 39.1 in 2020 in Austria, from 35.6 years to 41.5 years in Germany (cases), and from 39.6 to 47.1 in Switzerland, respectively. In all three countries, the percentage of patients/cases aged 60 years and older increased more than tenfold between 2010 and 2020. CONCLUSIONS Integrated support models, reliable care structures, internationally comparable high treatment coverage, flexible prescribing practices, and a wide range of available OAT medications are successful strategies. The experiences in these countries indicate that it is possible to address the complex and chronic nature of opioid dependence and its concurrent mental and physical health challenges, resulting in an increasing life expectancy of OAT patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Schwarz
- Gesundheit Österreich GmbH, Austrian National Public Health Institute, Vienna, Austria; Doctoral Programme Meduni Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, Vienna 1090, Austria.
| | - Judith Anzenberger
- Gesundheit Österreich GmbH, Austrian National Public Health Institute, Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Busch
- Gesundheit Österreich GmbH, Austrian National Public Health Institute, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerhard Gmel
- Addiction Switzerland, Lausanne, Switzerland; Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ludwig Kraus
- IFT Institut für Therapieforschung, Mental Health and Addiction Research, Munich, Germany; Department of Public Health Sciences, Centre for Social Research on Alcohol and Drugs, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden; Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary; Centre of Interdisciplinary Addiction Research (ZIS), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Krausz
- University of British Columbia, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Florian Labhart
- Psychiatric University Clinic Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Maximilian Meyer
- Psychiatric University Clinic Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Michael P Schaub
- Swiss Research Institute for Public Health and Addiction, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jean N Westenberg
- Addiction Switzerland, Lausanne, Switzerland; University of British Columbia, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Alfred Uhl
- Gesundheit Österreich GmbH, Austrian National Public Health Institute, Vienna, Austria; Sigmund Freud University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Morrison M, Hai AH, Bandaru YS, Salas-Wright CP, Vaughn MG. Opioid Misuse and Associated Health Risks among Adults on Probation and Parole: Prevalence and Correlates 2015-2020. Subst Use Misuse 2023; 59:20-28. [PMID: 37735916 PMCID: PMC10754470 DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2023.2257319] [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] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND As state legislatures work to reduce prison populations and increase the use of community-based alternatives, limited knowledge exists about the service needs of those under criminal justice supervision in the community. Preliminary research indicates unusually high rates of disease, disability, and death. Health risks for this population include opioid misuse, a form of substance misuse that has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. Evidence indicates this may be one of multiple epidemics this population experiences, complicating intervention. METHODS Our study included 5154 individuals on probation or parole. Using 2015-2020 data from the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), we conducted a series of logistic regressions examining associations between opioid misuse and a range of health risks, controlling for sociodemographic variables and survey year. RESULTS Approximately 17% of those on probation or parole indicated past-year opioid misuse, a rate 4 times higher than in the general population. Compared to those on probation and parole who did not misuse opioids, it was associated with higher odds of other health risk behaviors and mental health problems. For example, the odds of marijuana and cocaine use were 4-6 times higher and the odds of substance use disorder were 10 times higher. Similarly, the odds of experiencing major depressive episodes and serious psychological distress were 2-3 times higher. CONCLUSIONS Our findings reveal a markedly high risk for opioid misuse within this population along with associated risks for behavioral and mental health problems. The complex treatment needs of this population require greater policy attention and further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Morrison
- Saint Louis University, 1 North Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63103, U.S
| | - Audrey Hang Hai
- Tulane University, 127 Elk Place, New Orleans, LA 70112, U.S
| | | | | | - Michael G. Vaughn
- Saint Louis University, 1 North Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63103, U.S
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Lin Q, Aguilera JAR, Williams LD, Mackesy-Amiti ME, Latkin C, Pineros J, Kolak M, Boodram B. Social-spatial network structures among young urban and suburban persons who inject drugs in a large metropolitan area. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2023; 122:104217. [PMID: 37862848 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104217] [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] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent studies underscore the significance of adopting a syndemics approach to study opioid misuse, overdose, hepatitis C (HCV) and HIV infections, within the broader context of social and environmental contexts in already marginalized communities. Social interactions and spatial contexts are crucial structural factors that remain relatively underexplored. This study examines the intersections of social interactions and spatial contexts around injection drug use. More specifically, we investigate the experiences of different residential groups among young (aged 18-30) people who inject drugs (PWID) regarding their social interactions, travel behaviors, and locations connected to their risk behaviors. By doing so, we aim to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the multidimensional risk environment, thereby facilitating the development of informed policies. METHODS We collected and examined data regarding young PWID's egocentric injection network and geographic activity spaces (i.e., where they reside, inject drugs, purchase drugs, and meet sex partners). Participants were stratified based on the location of all place(s) of residence in the past year i.e., urban, suburban, and transient (both urban and suburban) to i) elucidate geospatial concentration of risk activities within multidimensional risk environments based on kernel density estimates; and ii) examine spatialized social networks for each residential group. RESULTS Participants were mostly non-Hispanic white (59%); 42% were urban residents, 28% suburban, and 30% transient. We identified a spatial area with concentrated risky activities for each residential group on the West side of Chicago in Illinois where a large outdoor drug market area is located. The urban group (80%) reported a smaller concentrated area (14 census tracts) compared to the transient (93%) and suburban (91%) with 30 and 51 tracts, respectively. Compared to other areas in Chicago, the identified area had significantly higher neighborhood disadvantages. Significant differences were observed in social network structures and travel behaviors: suburban participants had the most homogenous network in terms of age and residence, transient participants had the largest network (degree) and more non-redundant connections, while the urban group had the shortest travel distance for all types of risk activities. CONCLUSION Distinct residential groups exhibit varying patterns of network interaction, travel behaviors, and geographical contexts related to their risk behaviors. Nonetheless, these groups share common concentrated risk activity spaces in a large outdoor urban drug market area, underscoring the significance of accounting for risk spaces and social networks in addressing syndemics within PWID populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinyun Lin
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg.
| | | | - Leslie D Williams
- Division of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago.
| | - Mary Ellen Mackesy-Amiti
- Division of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago.
| | - Carl Latkin
- Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.
| | - Juliet Pineros
- Division of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago.
| | - Marynia Kolak
- Department of Geography and GIScience, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
| | - Basmattee Boodram
- Division of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago.
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11
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Estadt AT, Miller WC, Kline D, Whitney BM, Young AM, Todd Korthuis P, Stopka TJ, Feinberg J, Zule WA, Pho MT, Friedmann PD, Westergaard RP, Eagen KV, Seaman A, Ma J, Go VF, Lancaster KE. Associations of hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody positivity with opioid, stimulant, and polysubstance injection among people who inject drugs (PWID) in rural U.S. communities. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2023:104222. [PMID: 37806839 PMCID: PMC10997735 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104222] [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: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND People who inject drugs (PWID) in the rural U.S. often inject stimulants, alone or with opioids. The impact of these substance use patterns may influence HCV risk behaviors. This analysis examines the associations of HCV antibody positivity with injecting only opioids, only stimulants (methamphetamine/cocaine), and opioids and stimulants together among rural PWID. METHODS The Rural Opioid Initiative (ROI) consists of eight research sites that enrolled people who use drugs in rural communities in ten U.S. states from 2018 to 2020. This cross-sectional analysis included adult participants who resided in a study area and injected any drug in the past 30 days. The primary outcome was HCV antibody positivity. The exposure of interest was injection drug use classified as only opioids, only stimulants, separate injections of opioids and stimulants, and same-syringe injection of both in the past 30 days. We used multivariable log-binomial regression with generalized linear mixed models to generate prevalence ratios (P.R.) adjusted for demographics, injection history, health insurance, and substance use treatment. RESULTS Among 3,084 participants enrolled in the ROI, 1,982 met inclusion criteria. Most participants injected opioids and stimulants in the same syringe (34%) or separately (21%), followed by injecting only stimulants (26%), and injecting only opioids (19%). Half (51%) were HCV antibody positive. Compared to people who injected only stimulants, HCV antibody positivity was more prevalent among people who injected opioids alone (aPR=1.62, 95% CI:(1.29-2.03)), injected both opioids and stimulants separately (aPR=1.61, 95% CI:(1.32-1.95)), and in the same syringe (aPR=1.54, 95% CI:(1.28-1.85)). CONCLUSION HCV antibody positivity, indicating prior exposure, was highest among those who had recently injected opioids, alone or with stimulants. Additional nucleic acid testing is necessary to confirm active infection. More research is needed to determine the underlying causes of HCV antibody positivity by injection use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela T Estadt
- Ohio State University, College of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology, United States.
| | - William C Miller
- Ohio State University, College of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology, United States; Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - David Kline
- Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, United States
| | | | - April M Young
- University of Kentucky, Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, United States
| | - P Todd Korthuis
- Oregon Health & Science University, Department of Medicine, Section of Addiction Medicine, United States
| | - Thomas J Stopka
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, United States
| | - Judith Feinberg
- West Virginia University School of Medicine, Departments of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry and Medicine/Infectious Diseases, United States
| | - William A Zule
- RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - Mai T Pho
- University of Chicago, Department of Medicine, United States
| | - Peter D Friedmann
- University of Massachusetts Medical School-Baystate and Baystate Health, United States
| | - Ryan P Westergaard
- University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, United States
| | - Kellene V Eagen
- University of Wisconsin - Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, United States
| | - Andrew Seaman
- Oregon Health & Science University, School of Medicine, United States
| | - Jimmy Ma
- University of Washington, Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, United States
| | - Vivian F Go
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Health Behavior, United States
| | - Kathryn E Lancaster
- Ohio State University, College of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology, United States; Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Implementation Science, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States of America
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12
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Cook RR, Jaworski EN, Hoffman KA, Waddell EN, Myers R, Korthuis PT, Vergara-Rodriguez P. Treatment Initiation, Substance Use Trajectories, and the Social Determinants of Health in Persons Living With HIV Seeking Medication for Opioid Use Disorder. Subst Abus 2023; 44:301-312. [PMID: 37842910 PMCID: PMC10830143 DOI: 10.1177/08897077231200745] [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: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND People living with HIV and opioid use disorder (OUD) are disproportionally affected by adverse socio-structural exposures negatively affecting health, which have shown inconsistent associations with uptake of medications for OUD (MOUD). This study aimed to determine whether social determinants of health (SDOH) were associated with MOUD uptake and trajectories of substance use in a clinical trial of people seeking treatment. METHODS Data are from a 2018 to 2019 randomized trial comparing the effectiveness of different MOUD to achieve viral suppression among people living with HIV and OUD. SDOH were defined by variables mapping to Healthy People 2030 domains: education (Education Access and Quality), income (Economic Stability), homelessness (Neighborhood and Built Environment), criminal justice involvement (Social and Community Context), and recent SUD care (Health Care Access and Quality). Associations between SDOH and MOUD initiation were assessed with Cox proportional hazards models, and SDOH and substance use over time with generalized estimating equation models. RESULTS Participants (N = 114) averaged 47 years old, 63% were male, 56% were Black, and 12% Hispanic. Participants reported an average of 2.3 out of 5 positive SDOH indicators (SD = 1.2). Stable housing was the most commonly reported SDOH (61%), followed by no recent criminal justice involvement (59%), having a high-school level education or greater (56%), income stability (45%), and recent SUD care (13%). Each additional favorable SDOH was associated with a 25% increase in the likelihood of MOUD initiation during the study period [adjusted HR = 1.25, 95% CI = (1.01, 1.55), P = .044]. Positive SDOH were also associated with a decrease in the odds of baseline opioid use and a greater reduction in opioid use during subsequent weeks of the study (P < .001 for a joint test of baseline and slope differences). CONCLUSIONS Positive social determinants of health, in aggregate, may increase the likelihood of MOUD treatment initiation among people living with HIV and OUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan R. Cook
- Department of Medicine, Section of Addiction Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland
| | - Erin N. Jaworski
- Center for Dissemination and Implementation Science, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois-Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Kim A. Hoffman
- Oregon Health and Science University-Portland State University School of Public Health, Portland
| | - Elizabeth N Waddell
- Oregon Health and Science University-Portland State University School of Public Health, Portland
| | - Renae Myers
- Department of Medicine, Section of Addiction Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland
| | - P. Todd Korthuis
- Department of Medicine, Section of Addiction Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland
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13
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Bartholomew TS, Tookes HE, Chueng TA, Bluthenthal RN, Wenger LD, Kral AH, Lambdin BH. Availability of telehealth-based services at syringe services programs under the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. Harm Reduct J 2023; 20:122. [PMID: 37660029 PMCID: PMC10475193 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-023-00861-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The expanded capacity of syringe services programs (SSPs) in the USA to integrate telehealth services was largely related to flexibility of buprenorphine prescription in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. SSPs demonstrated the potential of using telehealth to reach participants with both medical and non-medical services. The present study examines the implementation of medical and non-medical telehealth-based health services in 2020 at SSPs in the USA and organizational characteristics associated with adopting specific telehealth services. METHODS We administered a cross-sectional survey among all known SSPs operating in the USA as of 2021. The two primary study outcomes were (1) implementation of medical telehealth and (2) implementation of non-medical telehealth in 2020. Medical services included HIV counseling/care, hepatitis C virus (HCV) counseling/care, and buprenorphine. Non-medical services included wellbeing/check-ins, overdose prevention training, health navigation, harm reduction and psychological counseling. Bivariate and multivariable mixed effects logistic regression models were used to directly estimate the odds ratio associated with organizational characteristics on the implementation of telehealth-based health services. RESULTS Thirty percent of programs (n = 290) reported implementing telehealth-based health services. In multivariable logistic regression models, community-based organization SSPs had higher odds of implementing medical (aOR = 4.69, 95% CI [1.96, 11.19]) and non-medical (aOR = 2.18, 95% CI [1.10, 4.31]) health services compared to public health department SSPs. SSPs that received governmental funding had higher odds of implementing medical services via telehealth (aOR = 2.45, 95% CI [1.35, 4.47]) compared to programs without governmental funding. CONCLUSION Community-based organization SSPs and those with government funding had the highest odds of telehealth implementation in response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. Federal, state, and local governments must increase funding for low-barrier venues like SSPs to support telehealth implementation to serve the needs of people who use drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hansel E Tookes
- University of Miami, 1120 NW 14th St #860, Miami, FL, 33136, USA.
| | - Teresa A Chueng
- University of Miami, 1120 NW 14th St #860, Miami, FL, 33136, USA
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14
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Wise A, Kianian B, Chang HH, Linton S, Wolfe ME, Smith J, Tempalski B, Des Jarlais D, Ross Z, Semaan S, Wejnert C, Sionean C, Cooper HL. Socioeconomic and racial/ethnic spatial polarization and incarceration among people who inject drugs in 19 US metropolitan areas, 2015. SSM Popul Health 2023; 23:101486. [PMID: 37635990 PMCID: PMC10448199 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2023.101486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to test, for the first time, the association between spatial social polarization and incarceration among people who inject drugs (PWID) in 19 large U.S. metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in 2015. PWID were recruited from MSAs for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2015 National HIV Behavioral Surveillance. Administrative data were used to describe the ZIP-code areas, counties, and MSAs where PWID lived. We operationalized spatial polarization using the Index of Concentration at the Extremes (ICE), a measure that reflects polarization in race and household income at the ZIP-code level. We tested the association between spatial polarization and odds of past-year arrest and detainment using multilevel multivariable models. We found 37% of the sample reported being incarcerated in the past year. Report of past-year incarceration varied by race/ethnicity: 45% of non-Hispanic white PWID reported past-year incarceration, as did 25% of non-Hispanic Black PWID, and 43% of Hispanic/Latino PWID (N = 9047). Adjusted odds ratios suggest that Black PWID living in ZIP-code areas with a higher ICE score, meaning more white and affluent, had higher odds of past-year incarceration, compared to white PWID. In previous research, incarceration has been found to be associated with HIV acquisition and can deter PWID from engaging in harm reduction activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akilah Wise
- 1518 Clifton Road, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Behzad Kianian
- 1518 Clifton Road, Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Howard H. Chang
- 1518 Clifton Road, Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Sabriya Linton
- 615 Wolfe Street, Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mary E. Wolfe
- 1518 Clifton Road, School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Justin Smith
- 1518 Clifton Road, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Barbara Tempalski
- 71 W. 23rd Street, Institute for Infectious Disease Research, National Development and Research Institutes, Inc. (NDRI), New York, NY, 10010, USA
| | - Don Des Jarlais
- 708 Broadway, College of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, USA
| | - Zev Ross
- ZevRoss Spatial Analysis, New York, NY, USA
| | - Salaam Semaan
- 8 Corporate Square, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30324, USA
| | - Cyprian Wejnert
- 8 Corporate Square, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30324, USA
| | - Catlainn Sionean
- 8 Corporate Square, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30324, USA
| | - Hannah L.F. Cooper
- 1518 Clifton Road, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - for the NHBS Study Group
- 1518 Clifton Road, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- 1518 Clifton Road, Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- 615 Wolfe Street, Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
- 1518 Clifton Road, School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- 71 W. 23rd Street, Institute for Infectious Disease Research, National Development and Research Institutes, Inc. (NDRI), New York, NY, 10010, USA
- 708 Broadway, College of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, USA
- ZevRoss Spatial Analysis, New York, NY, USA
- 8 Corporate Square, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30324, USA
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15
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Lang J, Mendenhall E, Koon AD. Disentangling opioids-related overdose syndemics: a scoping review. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2023; 119:104152. [PMID: 37542742 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104152] [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] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
This article reviews research investigating the synergistic interaction of opioid-related morbidity and mortality with other social, psychiatric, and biological conditions, to describe how and why it is syndemic. Opioid-related overdose syndemics are driven by commercial interests, emerging in communities facing social and economic disadvantage, and interacting with a range of other health conditions. We included articles that empirically investigated an opioid-related syndemic, discussed syndemic co-factors associated with opioid use, or framed opioid consumption conceptually in relation to syndemics. Most articles were conducted in and first authored by investigators from North America. These articles were published in journals focused on general public health (n = 20), drug use and addiction (n = 18), and infectious disease or HIV (n = 15). Most original research articles (n = 60) employed quantitative methods. Unlike scholarship from other disciplines, specifically the controversial "Deaths of Despair" (DoD) framework, most research on opioid-related overdose syndemics fails to fully articulate the macro-structural drivers of localized disease clustering. Instead, the syndemics scholarship emphasizes the clinical manifestations of opioid and substance use, illustrating a problem in translation at the heart of syndemic theory. Moreover, syndemics scholarship on opioid impacts remains largely disconnected from the wider DoD discourse, which represents a missed opportunity for equity-oriented research. Re-directing attention to the sociopolitical forces that shape opioid-related overdose syndemics is necessary to prevent future commercially-driven health crises and repair lives harmed by these deadly syndemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake Lang
- Science, Technology, and International Affairs Program, Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Emily Mendenhall
- Science, Technology, and International Affairs Program, Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States.
| | - Adam D Koon
- Health Systems Program, Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
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16
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Friedman SR, Perlman DC, Paraskevis D, Feldman J. Sociopolitical Diagnostic Tools to Understand National and Local Response Capabilities and Vulnerabilities to Epidemics and Guide Research into How to Improve the Global Response to Pathogens. Pathogens 2023; 12:1023. [PMID: 37623983 PMCID: PMC10457759 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12081023] [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: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The AIDS and COVID-19 pandemics demonstrated that nations at similar economic development levels varied widely in their capacity to protect the health of their residents. For AIDS, Britain and Australia brought gay representatives into official counsels and adopted harm reduction far more rapidly than the United States or Spain, and East African countries responded more effectively than South Africa or the Democratic Republic of the Congo. National responses to COVID-19 varied widely, with New Zealand, China, and Vietnam more effective than Italy, Brazil, or the United States. Further, as phylogenetic research has demonstrated, these pandemics spread from one country to another, with those that responded poorly acting as sources for mutations and potentially sources of transmission to countries with more effective responses. Many observers expressed surprise at the poor responses of the United States to COVID-19, but in retrospect the cutbacks in public health funding at state and national levels made it clear that this was a predictable weakness even in addition to the political vacillations that crippled the US and Brazilian responses. In a time of global sociopolitical and climate instability, it is important to measure and conduct research into spatial and time variations in 1. public health and medical funding, 2. social influence networks, social cohesion and trust, and stigmatization, 3. income inequality, 4. social conflict, and 5. other factors that affect responsiveness to pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David C. Perlman
- Infectious Diseases, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA;
| | - Dimitrios Paraskevis
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece;
| | - Justin Feldman
- Visiting Scientist, Harvard FXB Center for Health and Human Rights, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA;
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17
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Walters SM, Kerr J, Cano M, Earnshaw V, Link B. Intersectional Stigma as a Fundamental Cause of Health Disparities: A case study of how drug use stigma intersecting with racism and xenophobia creates health inequities for Black and Hispanic persons who use drugs over time. STIGMA AND HEALTH 2023; 8:325-343. [PMID: 37744082 PMCID: PMC10516303 DOI: 10.1037/sah0000426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Recent evidence points to racial and ethnic disparities in drug-related deaths and health conditions. Informed by stigma, intersectionality, intersectional stigma, and fundamental cause theories, we aimed to explore whether intersectional stigma was a fundamental cause of health. We document key events and policies over time and find that when progress is made new mechanisms emerge that negatively affect health outcomes for Black and Hispanic persons. We then focus on intersectional stigma targeting Black and Hispanic persons who use drugs. We document that when a person, or group of people, occupy multiple stigmatized identities the processes of stigmatization and scapegoating are particularly persistent and pernicious since people and groups can be stigmatized and scapegoated on varying intersections. We propose that an intersectional stigma framework allows for a better understanding of observed patterns over time, thereby providing a better guide for policies and interventions designed to reduce disparities. As a framework, intersectional stigma aims to recognize that when different sources of stigma collide, a new set of circumstances is created for those who reside in the intersection. We conclude that intersectional stigma is a fundamental cause of health inequities and provide policy recommendations aimed at dismantling intersectional stigma processes and mitigating the effects of intersectional stigmas to ultimately promote better health outcomes for Black and Hispanic persons who use drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzan M Walters
- School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY
- Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research, New York, NY
| | - Jelani Kerr
- Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
| | - Manuel Cano
- Department of Social Work, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
| | - Valerie Earnshaw
- Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE
| | - Bruce Link
- Department of Sociology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA
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18
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Kline D, Waller LA, McKnight E, Bonny A, Miller WC, Hepler SA. A Dynamic Spatial Factor Model to Describe the Opioid Syndemic in Ohio. Epidemiology 2023; 34:487-494. [PMID: 37155617 PMCID: PMC10591492 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000001617] [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: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The opioid epidemic has been ongoing for over 20 years in the United States. As opioid misuse has shifted increasingly toward injection of illicitly produced opioids, it has been associated with HIV and hepatitis C transmission. These epidemics interact to form the opioid syndemic. METHODS We obtain annual county-level counts of opioid overdose deaths, treatment admissions for opioid misuse, and newly diagnosed cases of acute and chronic hepatitis C and newly diagnosed HIV from 2014 to 2019. Aligned with the conceptual framework of syndemics, we develop a dynamic spatial factor model to describe the opioid syndemic for counties in Ohio and estimate the complex synergies between each of the epidemics. RESULTS We estimate three latent factors characterizing variation of the syndemic across space and time. The first factor reflects overall burden and is greatest in southern Ohio. The second factor describes harms and is greatest in urban counties. The third factor highlights counties with higher than expected hepatitis C rates and lower than expected HIV rates, which suggests elevated localized risk for future HIV outbreaks. CONCLUSIONS Through the estimation of dynamic spatial factors, we are able to estimate the complex dependencies and characterize the synergy across outcomes that underlie the syndemic. The latent factors summarize shared variation across multiple spatial time series and provide new insights into the relationships between the epidemics within the syndemic. Our framework provides a coherent approach for synthesizing complex interactions and estimating underlying sources of variation that can be applied to other syndemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Kline
- From the Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Lance A Waller
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Erin McKnight
- Division of Adolescent Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
| | - Andrea Bonny
- Division of Adolescent Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
| | - William C Miller
- Division of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
| | - Staci A Hepler
- Department of Statistical Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC
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19
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Gagnon M, Rudzinski K, Guta A, Schmidt RA, Kryszajtys DT, Kolla G, Strike C. Impact of safer supply programs on injection practices: client and provider experiences in Ontario, Canada. Harm Reduct J 2023; 20:81. [PMID: 37380995 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-023-00817-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Fentanyl has contributed to a sharp rise in the toxicity of the unregulated drug supply and fatal overdoses in Canada. It has also changed injection practices. Injection frequency has increased as a result and so has equipment sharing and health-related risks. The aim of this analysis was to explore the impact of safer supply programs on injection practices from the perspective of clients and providers in Ontario, Canada. METHODS The data set included qualitative interviews with 52 clients and 21 providers that were conducted between February and October 2021 across four safer supply programs. Interview excerpts discussing injection practices were extracted, screened, coded and then grouped into themes. RESULTS We identified three themes, each theme corresponding to a change in injection practices. The first change was a decrease in the amount of fentanyl used and a decrease in injection frequency. The second change involved switching to injecting hydromorphone tablets instead of fentanyl. Finally, the third change was stopping injecting altogether and taking safer supply medications orally. CONCLUSION Safer supply programs can contribute to reducing injection-related health risks in addition to overdose risks. More specifically, they have the potential to address disease prevention and health promotion gaps that stand-alone downstream harm reduction interventions cannot address, by working upstream and providing a safer alternative to fentanyl.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilou Gagnon
- School of Nursing, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.
- Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, 2300 McKenzie Avenue, Victoria, BC, V8N 5M8, Canada.
| | | | - Adrian Guta
- School of Social Work, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada
| | - Rose A Schmidt
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - David T Kryszajtys
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Gillian Kolla
- Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, 2300 McKenzie Avenue, Victoria, BC, V8N 5M8, Canada
| | - Carol Strike
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Guarino H, Frank D, Quinn K, Kim D, Gile K, Ruggles K, Friedman SR, Mateu-Gelabert P. Syndemic factors associated with non-fatal overdose among young opioid users in New York City. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1195657. [PMID: 37435512 PMCID: PMC10332320 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1195657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Rates of illicit opioid use are particularly high among young adults, yet research on overdose experience and factors associated with overdose in this population remains limited. This study examines the experiences and correlates of non-fatal overdose among young adults using illicit opioids in New York City (NYC). Methods 539 participants were recruited via Respondent-Driven Sampling in 2014-2016. Eligibility criteria included: aged 18-29 years old; current residence in NYC; and nonmedical prescription opioid (PO) use and/or heroin use in the past 30 days. Participants completed structured interviews to assess their socio-demographics, drug use trajectories, current substance use and lifetime and most recent overdose experiences, and were tested on-site for hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies. Results 43.9% of participants reported lifetime overdose experience; of these, 58.8% had experienced two or more overdose events. The majority of participants' most recent overdoses (63.5%) were due to polysubstance use. In bivariable analyses, after RDS adjustment, having ever overdosed was correlated with: household income of >$100,00 growing up (vs. $51,000-100,000); lifetime homelessness; HCV antibody-positive status; lifetime engagement in regular nonmedical benzodiazepine use, regular heroin injection and regular PO injection; and using a non-sterile syringe in the past 12 months. Multivariable logistic regression identified childhood household income >$100,00 (AOR=1.88), HCV-positive status (AOR=2.64), benzodiazepine use (AOR=2.15), PO injection (AOR=1.96) and non-sterile syringe use (AOR=1.70) as significant independent correlates of lifetime overdose. A multivariable model with multiple overdoses (vs. one) found only lifetime regular heroin use and PO injection to be strong correlates. Discussion Results indicate a high prevalence of lifetime and repeated overdose among opioid-using young adults in NYC, highlighting a need for intensified overdose prevention efforts for this population. The strong associations of HCV and indices of polydrug use with overdose suggest that prevention efforts should address the complex risk environment in which overdose occurs, attending to the overlapping nature of disease-related risk behavior and overdose risk behavior among young people who inject opioids. Overdose prevention efforts tailored for this group may find it useful to adopt a syndemic conception of overdose that understands such events as resulting from multiple, and often interrelated, risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honoria Guarino
- Institute for Implementation Science in Population Health, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, New York, NY, United States
| | - David Frank
- Behavioral Science Training Program in Drug Abuse Research, NYU Rory Myers College of Nursing, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Kelly Quinn
- Behavioral Science Training Program in Drug Abuse Research, NYU Rory Myers College of Nursing, New York University, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Dongah Kim
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Krista Gile
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Kelly Ruggles
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Samuel R. Friedman
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Pedro Mateu-Gelabert
- Institute for Implementation Science in Population Health, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, New York, NY, United States
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Antoniou T, Pritlove C, Shearer D, Tadrous M, Shah H, Gomes T. Accessing hepatitis C direct acting antivirals among people living with hepatitis C: a qualitative study. Int J Equity Health 2023; 22:112. [PMID: 37280588 PMCID: PMC10243011 DOI: 10.1186/s12939-023-01924-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatitis C is curable with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). However, treatment uptake remains low among marginalized populations such as people who inject drugs. We sought to understand challenges to treatment uptake with DAAs among people living with hepatitis C and compare treatment experiences between people who do and do not inject prescription and/or unregulated drugs. METHODS We conducted a qualitative study using focus groups with 23 adults aged 18 years and over who completed DAA treatment or were about to begin such treatment at the time of the study. Participants were recruited from hepatitis C treatment clinics across Toronto, Ontario. We drew upon stigma theory to interpret participants' accounts. RESULTS Following analysis and interpretation, we generated five theoretically-informed themes characterizing the experiences of individuals accessing DAAs: "being 'worthy' of the cure", "spatially enacted stigma", "countering social and structural vulnerability: the importance of peers", "identity disruption and contagion: attaining a 'social cure'" and "challenging stigma with population-based screening". Overall, our findings suggest that structural stigma generated and reproduced through healthcare encounters limits access to DAAs among people who inject drugs. Peer-based programs and population-based screening were proposed by participants as mechanisms for countering stigma within health care settings and 'normalizing' hepatitis C among the general population. CONCLUSIONS Despite the availability of curative therapies, access to such treatment for people who inject drugs is limited by stigma enacted in and structured within healthcare encounters. Developing novel, low-threshold delivery programs that remove power differentials and attend to the social and structural determinants of health and reinfection are needed to facilitate further scale up of DAAs and support the goal of eradicating hepatitis C as a public health threat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tony Antoniou
- Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Unity Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Unity Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Cheryl Pritlove
- Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Unity Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Dana Shearer
- Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Unity Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mina Tadrous
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Women's College Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Hemant Shah
- Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Tara Gomes
- Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Unity Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute for Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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THIMM‐KAISER MARCO, BENZEKRI ADAM, GUILAMO‐RAMOS VINCENT. Conceptualizing the Mechanisms of Social Determinants of Health: A Heuristic Framework to Inform Future Directions for Mitigation. Milbank Q 2023; 101:486-526. [PMID: 37062954 PMCID: PMC10262397 DOI: 10.1111/1468-0009.12642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Policy Points A large body of scientific work examines the mechanisms through which social determinants of health (SDOH) shape health inequities. However, the nuances described in the literature are infrequently reflected in the applied frameworks that inform health policy and programming. We synthesize extant SDOH research into a heuristic framework that provides policymakers, practitioners, and researchers with a customizable template for conceptualizing and operationalizing key mechanisms that represent intervention opportunities for mitigating the impact of harmful SDOH. In light of scarce existing SDOH mitigation strategies, the framework addresses an important research-to-practice translation gap and missed opportunity for advancing health equity. CONTEXT The reduction of health inequities is a broad and interdisciplinary endeavor with implications for policy, research, and practice. Health inequities are most often understood as associated with the social determinants of health (SDOH). However, policy and programmatic frameworks for mitigation often rely on broad SDOH domains, without sufficient attention to the operating mechanisms, and effective SDOH mitigation strategies remain scarce. To expand the cadre of effective SDOH mitigation strategies, a practical, heuristic framework for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers is needed that serves as a roadmap for conceptualizing and targeting the key mechanisms of SDOH influence. METHODS We conduct a critical review of the extant conceptual and empirical SDOH literature to identify unifying principles of SDOH mechanisms and to synthesize an integrated framework for conceptualizing such mechanisms. FINDINGS We highlight eight unifying principles of SDOH mechanisms that emerge from landmark SDOH research. Building on these principles, we introduce and apply a conceptual model that synthesizes key SDOH mechanisms into one organizing, heuristic framework that provides policymakers, practitioners, and researchers with a customizable template for conceptualizing and operationalizing the key SDOH mechanisms that represent intervention opportunities to maximize potential impact for mitigating a given health inequity. CONCLUSIONS Our synthesis of the extant SDOH research into a heuristic framework addresses a scarcity of peer-reviewed organizing frameworks of SDOH mechanisms designed to inform practice. The framework represents a practical tool to facilitate the translation of scholarly SDOH work into evidence-based and targeted policy and programming. Such tools designed to close the research-to-practice translation gap for effective SDOH mitigation are sorely needed, given that health inequities in the United States and in many other parts of the world have widened over the past two decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- MARCO THIMM‐KAISER
- Center for Latino Adolescent and Family HealthDuke University
- School of Nursing, Duke University
| | - ADAM BENZEKRI
- Center for Latino Adolescent and Family HealthDuke University
- School of Nursing, Duke University
| | - VINCENT GUILAMO‐RAMOS
- Center for Latino Adolescent and Family HealthDuke University
- School of Nursing, Duke University
- School of Medicine, Duke University
- Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, US Department of Health and Human Services
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23
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Martin AK, Perryman T, Bernstein JA, Taylor JL, Cruz R, Muroff J, Samet JH, Assoumou SA. Peer recovery coaching for comprehensive HIV, hepatitis C, and opioid use disorder management: The CHORUS pilot study. DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE REPORTS 2023; 7:100156. [PMID: 37113387 PMCID: PMC10126838 DOI: 10.1016/j.dadr.2023.100156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Amidst a surge in HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections in persons who use drugs, medications that effectively prevent HIV and treat opioid use disorder and HCV remain underutilized. Methods We developed a 6-month peer recovery coaching intervention (brief motivational interviewing followed by weekly virtual or in-person coaching) and collected data on uptake of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and HCV treatment. The primary outcomes were intervention acceptability and feasibility. Results At a Boston substance use disorder bridge clinic, we enrolled 31 HIV-negative patients who used opioids. Participants reported high intervention satisfaction at 6 months (95% "satisfied" or "very satisfied"). At study completion, 48% of the participants were on MOUD, 43% who met CDC guidelines were on PrEP, and 22% with HCV were engaged with treatment. Conclusions A peer recovery coaching intervention is feasible and acceptable, with positive preliminary findings regarding MOUD, PrEP and HCV treatment uptake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K. Martin
- Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center and Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Tyshaun Perryman
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Judith A. Bernstein
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jessica L. Taylor
- Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center and Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- Grayken Center for Addiction, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ricardo Cruz
- Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center and Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jordana Muroff
- Boston University School of Social Work, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jeffrey H. Samet
- Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center and Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Sabrina A. Assoumou
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
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24
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Herink MC, Seaman A, Leichtling G, Larsen JE, Gailey T, Cook R, Thomas A, Korthuis PT. A randomized controlled trial for a peer-facilitated telemedicine hepatitis c treatment intervention for people who use drugs in rural communities: study protocol for the "peer tele-HCV" study. Addict Sci Clin Pract 2023; 18:35. [PMID: 37245041 PMCID: PMC10221743 DOI: 10.1186/s13722-023-00384-z] [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: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission is primarily driven by injection drug use, and acute HCV infection rates are increased in rural communities with substantial barriers to care. Treatment of HCV in persons who use drugs (PWUD) is cost effective, decreases high risk behaviors and HCV transmission, and achieves high rates of treatment completion and sustained viral response. Adapting HCV care delivery to utilize peer support specialists, telemedicine technology, and streamlined testing and treatment strategies can better reach rural populations living with HCV. METHODS This is an open label, two-arm, non-blinded, randomized controlled trial designed to test the superiority of peer-facilitated and streamlined telemedicine HCV care (peer tele-HCV) compared to enhanced usual care (EUC) among PWUD in rural Oregon. In the intervention arm, peers conduct HCV screening in the community, facilitate pretreatment evaluation and linkage to telemedicine hepatitis C treatment providers, and support participants in HCV medication adherence. For participants assigned to EUC, peers facilitate pretreatment evaluation and referral to community-based treatment providers. The primary outcome is sustained virologic response at 12 weeks post treatment (SVR12). Secondary outcomes include: (1) HCV treatment initiation, (2) HCV treatment completion, (3) engagement with harm reduction resources, (4) rates of substance use, and (5) engagement in addiction treatment resources. The primary and secondary outcomes are analyzed using intention-to-treat (ITT) comparisons between telemedicine and EUC. A qualitative analysis will assess patient, peer, and clinician experiences of peer-facilitated telemedicine hepatitis C treatment. DISCUSSION This study uses a novel peer-based telemedicine delivery model with streamlined testing protocols to improve access to HCV treatment in rural communities with high rates of injection drug use and ongoing disease transmission. We hypothesize that the peer tele-HCV model will increase treatment initiation, treatment completion, SVR12 rates, and engagement with harm reduction services compared to EUC. Trial registration This trial has been registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (clinicaltrials.gov NCT04798521).
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan C Herink
- College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University / Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, USA.
| | - Andrew Seaman
- Division of Addiction Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, USA
| | | | | | - Tonhi Gailey
- Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, USA
| | - Ryan Cook
- Section of Addiction Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | | | - P Todd Korthuis
- Section of Addiction Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
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Shrestha S, Bayly R, Pustz J, Sawyer J, Van Handel M, Lingwall C, Stopka TJ. Methods for jurisdictional vulnerability assessment of opioid-related outcomes. Prev Med 2023; 170:107490. [PMID: 36963467 PMCID: PMC11371392 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2023.107490] [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: 09/17/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023]
Abstract
In 2020, an estimated 2.7 million people in the US had opioid use disorder, increasing their risk of opioid-related morbidity and mortality. While jurisdictional vulnerability assessments (JVA) of opioid-related outcomes have been conducted previously in the US, there has been no unifying methodological framework. Between 2019 and 2021, we prepared ten JVAs, in collaboration with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and state public health agencies, to evaluate the risk for opioid-involved overdose (OOD) fatalities and related consequences. Our aim is to share the framework we developed for these ten JVAs, based on our study of the work of Van Handel et al. from 2016, as well as a summary of 18 publicly available assessments of OOD or associated hepatitis C virus infection vulnerability. We developed a three-tiered framework that can be applied by jurisdictions based on the number of units of analysis (e.g., counties, ZIP Codes, census tracts): under 10 (Tier 1), 10 to <50 (Tier 2), and 50 or more (Tier 3). We calculated OOD vulnerability indices based on variable ranks, weighted variable ranks, or multivariable regressions, respectively, for the three tiers. We developed thematic maps, conducted spatial analyses, and visualized service provider locations, drive-time service areas, and service accessibility relative to OOD risk. The methodological framework and examples of our findings from several jurisdictions can be used as a foundation for future assessments and help inform policies to mitigate the impact of the opioid overdose crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shikhar Shrestha
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, United States
| | - Ric Bayly
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, United States
| | - Jennifer Pustz
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, United States
| | - Jared Sawyer
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, United States
| | - Michelle Van Handel
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Tufts University School of Medicine, United States
| | - Cailyn Lingwall
- Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, Tufts University School of Medicine, United States
| | - Thomas J Stopka
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, United States.
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Gilcrease GW, Sciascia S, Padovan D, Sciullo A, Cioffi M, Ricceri F, Radin M, Schreiber K, Husum D, Roccatello D, Nikiphorou E. Health inequalities and social determinants of health: The role of syndemics in rheumatic disease. Autoimmun Rev 2023; 22:103351. [PMID: 37121530 DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2023.103351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
A syndemic is the co-existence of two or more health problems (including both social and biological features) that adversely influence each other with negative consequences on disease outcomes and perpetuation of inequalities. The syndemic approach can be applied to better understand the course of rheumatic musculoskeletal diseases (RMD) involving the study of adverse biological pathways and social determinants of health (SDH) all under the same framework. Identifying if a syndemic exists within RMDs may include investigating the synergic interactions between comorbidity (e.g., diabetes, obesity, chronic kidney diseases) and the concomitant of other adverse conditions (e.g., drug non-adherence, substance abuse), along with SDHs such as low household income, unemployment, low education, limited access to health care, as well as racial/ethnic discrimination. For decades, the understanding of RMDs progression has been based on causality, rather than investigating the kaleidoscopic web of connections that can potentially influence a disease course. The co-existence of health burdens in vulnerable populations, including those with RMD, specifically in certain socioeconomic groups, calls for new ways and strategies of thinking to improve our understanding of risk factors and co-morbidities to offer tailored interventions for clinical medicine and public health policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Winston Gilcrease
- UNESCO Chair, Department of Culture, Politics and Society, University of Turin, Italy; International Center for Sustainable Well-Being, A Project of the Center for Transformative Action, Ithaca, NY, United States of America; Rheumatology Department, King's College Hospital, London, UK
| | - Savino Sciascia
- Center of Research of Immunopathology and Rare Diseases - Coordinating Center of Piemonte and Valle d'Aosta Network for Rare Diseases, SCDU Nephrology and Dialysis, University of Turin and S. Giovanni Bosco Hospital, Turin, Italy
| | - Dario Padovan
- UNESCO Chair, Department of Culture, Politics and Society, University of Turin, Italy
| | - Alessandro Sciullo
- UNESCO Chair, Department of Culture, Politics and Society, University of Turin, Italy
| | - Michele Cioffi
- Center of Research of Immunopathology and Rare Diseases - Coordinating Center of Piemonte and Valle d'Aosta Network for Rare Diseases, SCDU Nephrology and Dialysis, University of Turin and S. Giovanni Bosco Hospital, Turin, Italy
| | - Fulvio Ricceri
- Center of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Public Health, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Italy
| | - Massimo Radin
- Center of Research of Immunopathology and Rare Diseases - Coordinating Center of Piemonte and Valle d'Aosta Network for Rare Diseases, SCDU Nephrology and Dialysis, University of Turin and S. Giovanni Bosco Hospital, Turin, Italy
| | - Karen Schreiber
- Danish Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, University of Southern Denmark, Sønderborg, Denmark; Institute for Regional Health Research, Southern Danish University, Odense, Denmark; Thrombosis and Haemophilia, Guy's King's College and Saint Thomas' Hospitals, London, UK.
| | - Dina Husum
- Danish Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, University of Southern Denmark, Sønderborg, Denmark; Department of Cardiology, Hospital of Southern Jutland, Aabenraa, Denmark
| | - Dario Roccatello
- Center of Research of Immunopathology and Rare Diseases - Coordinating Center of Piemonte and Valle d'Aosta Network for Rare Diseases, SCDU Nephrology and Dialysis, University of Turin and S. Giovanni Bosco Hospital, Turin, Italy
| | - Elena Nikiphorou
- Department of Cardiology, Hospital of Southern Jutland, Aabenraa, Denmark; Centre for Rheumatic Diseases, King's College London, London, UK
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West BS, Diaz JE, Philbin MM, Mauro PM. Past-year medical and non-medical opioid use by HIV status in a nationally representative US sample: Implications for HIV and substance use service integration. JOURNAL OF SUBSTANCE USE AND ADDICTION TREATMENT 2023; 147:208976. [PMID: 36827878 PMCID: PMC10100645 DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2023.208976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
AIM In the context of the continued overdose epidemic, recent population estimates of opioid use in highly affected groups, such as people at risk for or people living with HIV (PLWH), are essential for service planning and provision. Although nonmedical opioid use is associated with HIV transmission and with lowered adherence and care engagement, most studies rely on clinic-based samples and focus on medical use of opioids only. We examine associations between opioid-related outcomes by HIV status in a community-based nationally representative sample. METHODS The 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health included 213,203 individuals aged 18 and older. Respondents self-reported whether a health care professional ever told them they had HIV/AIDS (i.e., HIV-positive/PLWH, HIV-negative, HIV-unknown). Opioid-related outcomes included past-year medical opioid use and past-year nonmedical (i.e., prescription opioid and heroin) use. Multinomial logistic regression estimated adjusted relative risk ratios between past-year opioid-related outcomes and HIV status, controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, income, population density, and year. RESULTS In 2015-2019, 0.2 % of respondents were PLWH and 0.3 % self-reported an HIV-unknown status. Past-year medical opioid use was 37.3 % among PLWH, 30.4 % among HIV-negative and 21.9 % among HIV-unknown individuals. Past-year nonmedical use was 11.1 % among PLWH, 4.2 % among HIV-negative and 7.2 % among HIV-unknown individuals. Compared to HIV-negative individuals, PLWH had 3.21 times higher risk of past-year nonmedical use vs. no use (95 % CI:2.02-5.08) and 2.02 times higher risk of past-year nonmedical vs. medical opioid use only (95 % CI:1.24-2.65). CONCLUSION Nonmedical opioid use prevalence was almost three times higher among PLWH than HIV-negative individuals. Because opioid use and its related harms disproportionately burden PLWH, integrating HIV and substance use prevention and treatment services may improve both HIV-related and opioid-related outcomes, including overdose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke S West
- Columbia University School of Social Work, United States of America.
| | - José E Diaz
- SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University Department of Medicine, United States of America
| | - Morgan M Philbin
- University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, United States of America
| | - Pia M Mauro
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, United States of America
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Lin Q, Rojas Aguilera JA, Williams LD, Mackesy-Amiti ME, Latkin C, Pineros J, Kolak M, Boodram B. Social-spatial network structures among young urban and suburban persons who inject drugs in a large metropolitan area. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.02.21.23286255. [PMID: 36865191 PMCID: PMC9980242 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.21.23286255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Background It is estimated that there are 1.5% US adult population who inject drugs in 2018, with young adults aged 18-39 showing the highest prevalence. PWID are at a high risk of many blood-borne infections. Recent studies have highlight the importance of employing the syndemic approach to study opioid misuse, overdose, HCV and HIV, along with the social and environmental contexts where these interrelated epidemics occur in already marginalized communities. Social interactions and spatial contexts are important structural factors that are understudied. Methods Egocentric injection network and geographic activity spaces for young (aged 18-30) PWID and their injection, sexual, and social support network members (i.e., where reside, inject drugs, purchase drugs, and meet sex partners) were examined using baseline data from an ongoing longitudinal study (n=258). Participants were stratified based on the location of all place(s) of residence in the past year i.e., urban, suburban, and transient (both urban and suburban) to i) elucidate geospatial concentration of risk activities within multi-dimensional risk environments based on kernel density estimates; and ii) examine spatialized social networks for each residential group. Results Participants were mostly non-Hispanic white (59%); 42% were urban residents, 28% suburban, and 30% transient. We identified a spatial area with concentrated risky activities for each residence group on the West side of Chicago where a large outdoor drug market area is located. The urban group (80%) reported a smaller concentrated area (14 census tracts) compared to the transient (93%) and suburban (91%) with 30 and 51 tracts, respectively. Compared to other areas in Chicago, the identified area had significantly higher neighborhood disadvantages (e.g., higher poverty rate, p <0.001). Significant ( p <0.01 for all) differences were observed in social network structures: suburban had the most homogenous network in terms of age and residence, transient participants had the largest network (degree) and more non-redundant connections. Conclusion We identified concentrated risk activity spaces among PWID from urban, suburban, and transient groups in a large outdoor urban drug market area, which highlights the need for considering the role of risk spaces and social networks in addressing the syndemics in PWID populations.
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AlShurman BA, Butt ZA. Proposing a New Conceptual Syndemic Framework for COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: A Narrative Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:1561. [PMID: 36674314 PMCID: PMC9864682 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20021561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Discussions regarding syndemics have dominated research in recent years. Vaccine hesitancy has also been propelled to the forefront. In this narrative review, we aim to frame a novel syndemic framework to understand the interaction between vaccine hesitancy, COVID-19, and negative health outcomes. METHODS A non-systematic electronic search was conducted in PubMed and Google Scholar. Search criteria were limited to articles published between November 2019 and June 2022. Articles related to the COVID-19 syndemic and vaccine hesitancy were included. RESULTS Our review revealed that the adherence to COVID-19 regulations-although they were effective in preventing COVID-19 transmission, cases, and deaths-created a dynamically unstable 'vicious cycle' between undesirable health, economic, and social outcomes. The "accumulation" of complex stressors decreased individuals' cognitive flexibility and hindered them from making decisions and getting vaccinated. Furthermore, it increased individuals' risk of acquiring COVID-19, losing their employment, increasing poverty, and decreasing healthcare utilization. We illustrated how the amalgamation of sociodemographic and contextual factors associated with COVID-19 might impact people's vaccine decisions, making them more hesitant toward COVID-19 vaccination. Failing to receive vaccinations increases the chances of COVID-19 transmission, hospitalization, and other negative health outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Understanding the interaction between these factors is essential to provide policymakers with inspiration to set appropriate interventions for promoting COVID-19 vaccination acceptance to decrease the overall burden of pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zahid Ahmad Butt
- School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
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Miller WA, Gordon AJ, Clothier BA, Ackland PE, Bounthavong M, Garcia C, Kenny ME, Noorbaloochi S, Hagedorn HJ. Co-occurring implementation strategies: The effects of academic detailing for opioid use disorder campaign on the advancing pharmacological treatments for opioid use disorder (ADaPT-OUD) study. IMPLEMENTATION RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2023; 4:26334895231199463. [PMID: 37790176 PMCID: PMC10504828 DOI: 10.1177/26334895231199463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Barriers at the system, clinician, and patient level limit access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). The Advancing Pharmacological Treatments for Opioid Use Disorder (ADaPT-OUD) study implemented an external facilitation strategy within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) aimed at facility-level barriers to improve uptake of MOUD. During ADaPT-OUD, an independent Academic Detailing Services Opioid Agonist Treatment of OUD Campaign was co-occurring and aimed to increase evidence-based practice for OUD at the clinician level. While both these initiatives aim to increase MOUD reach, they address different barriers and did not intentionally collaborate. Thus, understanding the interaction between these two independent implementation initiatives and their effect on MOUD reach will further inform and mold future implementation efforts of MOUD. Methods This was a secondary analysis of the ADaPT-OUD study that included 35 VHA facilities in the lowest quartile of MOUD reach; eight received the ADaPT-OUD external facilitation and 27 matched sites received implementation as usual. The number of academic detailing (AD) visits during ADaPT-OUD was used as a proxy for the intensity of Academic Detailing for OUD Campaign activity. The interaction between external facilitation status and AD intensity was evaluated by comparing the change in facility-level MOUD reach. Results There was a general increase in the number of AD visits, in both external facilitation and implementation as usual sites, over the course of ADaPT-OUD's implementation period. A non-statistically significant, positively sloped, linear relationship was observed between average number of AD visits per quarter and change in MOUD reach in facilities also receiving ADaPT-OUD external facilitation that was not observed in the implementation as usual sites. Conclusion Co-occurring initiatives focusing on different barriers to MOUD access have the potential to further increase MOUD in low-performing facilities, but further research into timing, quality, and collaboration between initiatives are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy A. Miller
- Center for Care Delivery and Outcomes Research, Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Adam J. Gordon
- Vulnerable Veteran Innovative PACT Initiative, Informatics, Decision-Enhancement, and Analytic Sciences (IDEAS) Center, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge, and Advocacy (PARCKA), University of Utah School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Barbara A. Clothier
- Center for Care Delivery and Outcomes Research, Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Princess E. Ackland
- Center for Care Delivery and Outcomes Research, Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Mark Bounthavong
- Health Economics Resource Center, Palo Alto Veterans Affairs HealthCare System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Carla Garcia
- Health Economics Resource Center, Palo Alto Veterans Affairs HealthCare System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Marie E. Kenny
- Center for Care Delivery and Outcomes Research, Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Siamak Noorbaloochi
- Center for Care Delivery and Outcomes Research, Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Hildi J. Hagedorn
- Center for Care Delivery and Outcomes Research, Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota School of Medicine, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Centers of Excellence in Substance Addiction Treatment and Education, Puget Sound VAHCS, Seattle, WA & Philadelphia VAHCS, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Auty SG, Griffith KN, Shafer PR, Gee RE, Conti RM. Improving Access to High-Value, High-Cost Medicines: The Use of Subscription Models to Treat Hepatitis C Using Direct-Acting Antivirals in the United States. JOURNAL OF HEALTH POLITICS, POLICY AND LAW 2022; 47:691-708. [PMID: 35867531 PMCID: PMC9789167 DOI: 10.1215/03616878-10041121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
State payers may face financial incentives to restrict use of high-cost medications. Yet, restrictions on access to high-value medications may have deleterious effects on population health. Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), available since 2013, can cure chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV). With prices upward of $90,000 for a treatment course, states have struggled to ensure access to DAAs for Medicaid beneficiaries and the incarcerated, populations with a disproportionate share of HCV. Advance purchase commitments (APCs), wherein a payer commits to purchase a certain quantity of medications at lower prices, offer payers incentives to increase access to high-value medications while also offering companies guaranteed revenue. This article discusses the use of subscription models, a type of APC, to support increased access to high-value DAAs for treating HCV. First, the authors provide background information about HCV, its treatment, and state financing of prescription medications. They then review the implementation of HCV subscription models in two states, Louisiana and Washington, and the early evidence of their impact. The article discusses challenges to evaluating state-sponsored subscription models, and it concludes by discussing implications of subscription models that target DAAs and other high-value, high-cost medicines.
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Eller AJ, DiDomizio EE, Madden LM, Oliva JD, Altice FL, Johnson KA. Strengthening systems of care for people with or at risk for HIV, HCV and opioid use disorder: a call for enhanced data collection. Ann Med 2022; 54:1714-1724. [PMID: 35775786 PMCID: PMC9377256 DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2022.2084154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The syndemic between opioid use disorder (OUD), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) results in excessive burdens on the healthcare system. Integrating these siloed systems of care is critical to address all three conditions adequately. In this implementation project, we assessed the data capacity of the health system to measure a cascade of care (COC) across HIV, HCV and OUD services in five states to help guide public health planning. MATERIALS AND METHODS Data for this study were gathered from publicly available datasets and reports from government (SAMSHA, CMS, HRSA and CDC) sites. We created, where possible, COCs for HIV, HCV, and OUD spanning population estimate, diagnosis, treatment initiation, treatment retention, and patient outcomes for each of five states in the study. RESULTS The process of data collection showed that baseline COCs examining the intersections of OUD, HIV, and HCV cannot be produced and that there are missing data in all states examined. Collection of specific data points is not consistent across all states. States are better at reporting HIV cascades due to federal requirements. Only gross estimates could be made for OUD cascades in all states because data are separated by payer source, leaving no central point of data collection from all sources. Data for HCV were not publicly available. CONCLUSION It is difficult to assess the strategies needed or the progress made towards increasing treatment access and decreasing the burden of disease without the ability to construct an accurate baseline. Using integrated COCs with relevant benchmarks can not only guide public health planning, but also provide meaningful targets for intervention.KEY MESSAGESWhile HIV COCs are available for most states at least annually, they are not disaggregated for populations with co-occurring OUD or HCV.Data to calculate HCV COC are not available and data to calculate OUD COC are partially available, but only for specific payers.States do not have systems in place to measure the scope of the syndemic or to identify targets for quality improvement activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony J. Eller
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Elizabeth E. DiDomizio
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lynn M. Madden
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jennifer D. Oliva
- Department of Mental Health Law & Policy, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Frederick L. Altice
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Kimberly A. Johnson
- Center for Health & Pharmaceutical Law, Seton Hall University School of Law, Newark, NJ, USA
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Jordan AE, Izar R, Nicolas R, Beharie N, Harocopos A. Understanding Vaccine Perceptions and Willingness to Receive COVID-19 Vaccination: Opportunities to Strengthen Public Health Responses and COVID-19 Services for People Who Use Drugs. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10122044. [PMID: 36560454 PMCID: PMC9784169 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10122044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: People who use drugs (PWUD) are at high risk for COVID-19 infection, morbidity, and mortality. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective at reducing serious illness and death from COVID-19. There are sparse data on the perceptions and willingness of PWUD to receive COVID-19 vaccination. Materials and Methods: In order to assess the perceptions of, and willingness to receive, COVID-19 vaccination among PWUD, we conducted a rapid survey-based assessment of 100 PWUD in NYC (Spring 2021) who reported not having received COVID-19 vaccination and who reported past 30-day illicit drug use. Results: More than 80% of respondents agreed that personally receiving a COVID-19 vaccine was important for the health of others in the community, and endorsing this belief was significantly associated with COVID-19 vaccine willingness reflecting a high prevalence of altruistic beliefs (p-value: 0.01). Other reported perceptions that were significantly associated with COVID-19 vaccine willingness were believing that COVID-19 vaccines are safe for PWUD and trusting COVID-19 information from their healthcare providers (p-values < 0.05). That said, 62% reported being unwilling to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, and 70−83% had concerns about general vaccine safety/efficacy. Examining pairs of questions to explore potential ambivalence between vaccine endorsement and vaccine concerns identified that 56−65% simultaneously reported vaccine safety/efficacy concerns and beliefs that vaccination was an important intervention. Of the 75 respondents who reported past 30-day use of harm reduction and/or substance use disorder (SUD) programs, nearly 90% reported these programs as trusted sources of COVID-19 information. Conclusion: Most participants reported altruistic beliefs about the role of vaccines for community health, including COVID-19 vaccines, and this altruism was associated with willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19. These findings suggest a complex relationship between beliefs about the role of vaccination in community health and the safety/efficacy of vaccines; this ambivalence suggests that COVID-19 vaccine willingness may not be firmly fixed, indicating potential opportunities to address questions and build vaccine confidence. Harm reduction and SUD programs could be leveraged to further engage PWUD in receipt of COVID-19 information and/or vaccination. Recognizing vaccine ambivalence, emphasizing collective and individual benefits of vaccination, and messaging from trusted sources may be promising approaches to increase vaccination in this population.
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Fitzpatrick T, McMahan VM, Frank ND, Glick SN, Violette LR, Davis S, Jama S. Heroin pipe distribution to reduce high-risk drug consumption behaviors among people who use heroin: a pilot quasi-experimental study. Harm Reduct J 2022; 19:103. [PMID: 36138407 PMCID: PMC9493152 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-022-00685-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Heroin pipe distribution may encourage people who use heroin (PWUH) to transition from injecting to smoking heroin, reducing harms associated with injection drug use. A syringe services program (SSP) in Seattle, Washington, led by people who use drugs developed a heroin pipe distribution program. METHODS We conducted a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study to evaluate the impact of heroin pipe distribution on drug consumption behaviors among PWUH between March and December 2019. SSP clients were surveyed during three weeklong timepoints before and four weeklong timepoints after heroin pipe distribution. Primary outcomes were change in proportion of SSP clients who exclusively injected heroin, exclusively smoked heroin, and both injected and smoked heroin in the past seven days comparing the pre- and post-intervention periods. RESULTS Across the seven observation timepoints, 694 unique respondents completed 957 surveys. Multiple responses from a single respondent in a given period were collapsed, resulting in 360 pre-intervention and 430 post-intervention records. Heroin use was reported in over half of pre-intervention (56%, 201/360) and post-intervention records (58%, 251/430). Compared to pre-intervention behaviors, the proportion of respondents who exclusively injected heroin was lower after the start of heroin pipe distribution (32%, 80/251 vs 43%, 86/201, p = 0.02), while the proportion of respondents who both injected and smoked heroin was higher (45%, 113/251 vs 36%, 72/201, p = 0.048). Just under half (44%, 110/251) of respondents who used heroin during the post-intervention period used a heroin pipe obtained from the SSP, of which 34% (37/110) reported heroin pipe distribution had reduced their heroin injection frequency. Self-reported hospitalization for a pulmonary cause was not associated with using a heroin pipe. CONCLUSIONS The proportion of SSP clients who exclusively injected heroin was lower after implementation of heroin pipe distribution. Randomized studies with longer follow-up are needed to investigate whether heroin pipe distribution reduces heroin injection and improves health outcomes associated with drug use. Limited intervention exposure, loss to follow-up, and pipe availability from other sources pose methodological challenges to evaluations of route transition interventions in community settings. This pilot highlights the potential for organizations led by people who use drugs to develop, implement, and evaluate novel public health programming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Fitzpatrick
- Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
- The People's Harm Reduction Alliance, 1959 NE Pacific St., Box 356423, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
| | - Vanessa M McMahan
- The People's Harm Reduction Alliance, 1959 NE Pacific St., Box 356423, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Center on Substance use and Health, Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Noah D Frank
- The People's Harm Reduction Alliance, 1959 NE Pacific St., Box 356423, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Office of Infectious Disease, Washington State Department of Health, Olympia, WA, USA
| | - Sara N Glick
- Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lauren R Violette
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Shantel Davis
- Safer Alternatives Thru Networking and Education, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Shilo Jama
- Safer Alternatives Thru Networking and Education, Sacramento, CA, USA
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Smith CM, Kennedy JL, Evans ME, Person MK, Haverkate R, Apostolou A. Mental Illness in Adults With HIV and HCV Infection: Indian Health Service, 2001-2020. Am J Prev Med 2022; 63:e77-e86. [PMID: 35589441 PMCID: PMC9887638 DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2022.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Mental health disorders (MHDs) and substance use disorders (SUDs) in people living with HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and HIV/HCV coinfection are common and result in significant morbidity. However, there are no national prevalence estimates of these comorbidities in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) adults with HIV, HCV infection, or HIV/HCV coinfection. This study estimates the prevalence of MHD and SUD diagnoses in AI/AN adults diagnosed with HIV, HCV infection, or HIV/HCV coinfection within the Indian Health Service (IHS). METHODS In 2021, a cross-sectional study using data from the National Patient Information Reporting System was completed to identify MHD or SUD diagnoses in AI/AN adults with HIV, HCV infection, or HIV/HCV coinfection within the IHS during fiscal years 2001‒2020. Logistic regression was used to compare the odds of MHD or SUD diagnoses, adjusting for age and sex. RESULTS Of AI/AN adults diagnosed with HIV, hepatitis C virus infection, or HIV/HCV coinfection, the period prevalence of MHD or SUD diagnoses ranged from 57.2% to 81.1%. Adjusting for age and sex, individuals with HCV infection had higher odds of receiving a MHD diagnosis (AOR=1.57; 95% CI=1.47, 1.68) or SUD diagnosis (AOR=3.40; 95% CI=3.18, 3.65) than those with HIV, and individuals with HIV/HCV coinfection had higher odds of receiving a MHD diagnosis (AOR=1.60; 95% CI=1.35, 1.89) or SUD diagnosis (AOR=2.81; 95% CI=2.32, 3.41) than those with HIV. CONCLUSIONS MHD and SUD diagnoses were common in AI/AN adults diagnosed with HIV, HCV infection, or HIV/HCV coinfection, highlighting the need for culturally appropriate screening and treatment programs sensitive to the diverse strengths of AI/AN populations and structural challenges they endure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin M Smith
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina; Indian Health Service, Rockville, Maryland.
| | - Jordan L Kennedy
- Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Mary E Evans
- Division of Global HIV and TB, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Marissa K Person
- Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
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Logistical Facilitators and Barriers to PrEP Implementation in Methadone Clinic Settings: Provider and Staff Perspectives. J Addict Med 2022; 16:e278-e283. [PMID: 35165229 PMCID: PMC9375804 DOI: 10.1097/adm.0000000000000973] [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: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of implementing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a daily oral medication for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention, in methadone clinics. METHODS Medical and nonmedical staff (n = 30) at 2 methadone clinics in Northern New Jersey were qualitatively interviewed about various aspects of substance use treatment, clinical operations, and HIV risk and prevention among their patient populations. Audio-recorded interviews were professionally transcribed, then coded and analyzed by the research team. RESULTS Themes surrounding the viability of PrEP implementation emerged for both logistical facilitators and barriers. Facilitators included availability of prescribing clinicians, ability to conduct lab testing on-site, and availability of existing hepatitis C programs as a blueprint for PrEP management. Barriers included increased provider burden, financial concerns, and perceptions that PrEP provision is outside the clinic's treatment scope. CONCLUSIONS Although staff expressed willingness and potential ability to provide PrEP, they identified barriers regarding insurance reimbursement, limited funding, and concerns that PrEP would extend the clinic's treatment scope. However, given the enabling factors such as availability of providers and existing clinical infrastructure, providing PrEP could increase clinic revenue through insurance reimbursement and federal funding for PrEP-related services. Clinic-level education is needed for clinical and nonclinical staff to better understand the logistics of implementing PrEP, particularly regarding prescribing practices, billing and insurance concerns, and the essential nature of HIV prevention as a critical component of substance use treatment.
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Jawa R, Walley AY, Wilson DJ, Green TC, McKenzie M, Hoskinson R, Bratberg J, Ramsey S, Rich JD, Friedmann PD. Prescribe to Save Lives: Improving Buprenorphine Prescribing Among HIV Clinicians. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2022; 90:546-552. [PMID: 35587832 PMCID: PMC9283214 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000003001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND HIV clinicians are uniquely positioned to treat their patients with opioid use disorder using buprenorphine to prevent overdose death. The Prescribe to Save Lives (PtSL) study aimed to increase HIV clinicians' buprenorphine prescribing via an overdose prevention intervention. METHODS The quasi-experimental stepped-wedge study enrolled 22 Ryan White-funded HIV clinics and delivered a peer-to-peer training to clinicians with follow-up academic detailing that included overdose prevention education and introduced buprenorphine prescribing. Site-aggregated electronic medical record (EMR) data measured with the change in X-waivered clinicians and patients prescribed buprenorphine. Clinicians completed surveys preintervention and at 6- and 12-month postintervention that assessed buprenorphine training, prescribing, and attitudes. Analyses applied generalized estimating equation models, adjusting for time and clustering of repeated measures among individuals and sites. RESULTS Nineteen sites provided EMR prescribing data, and 122 clinicians returned surveys. Of the total patients with HIV across all sites, EMR data showed 0.38% were prescribed buprenorphine pre-intervention and 0.52% were prescribed buprenorphine postintervention. The intervention increased completion of a buprenorphine training course (adjusted odds ratio 2.54, 95% confidence interval: 1.38 to 4.68, P = 0.003) and obtaining an X-waiver (adjusted odds ratio 2.11, 95% confidence interval: 1.12 to 3.95, P = 0.02). There were nonsignificant increases at the clinic level, as well. CONCLUSIONS Although the PtSL intervention resulted in increases in buprenorphine training and prescriber certification, there was no meaningful increase in buprenorphine prescribing. Engaging and teaching HIV clinicians about overdose and naloxone rescue may facilitate training in buprenorphine prescribing but will not result in more treatment with buprenorphine without additional interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raagini Jawa
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Boston Medical Center, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, 2 Floor, Boston, MA, 02118
- Grayken Center for Addiction, Clinical Addiction Research and Education Unit, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, 2 Floor, Boston, MA, 02118
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexander Y. Walley
- Grayken Center for Addiction, Clinical Addiction Research and Education Unit, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, 2 Floor, Boston, MA, 02118
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Donna J. Wilson
- University of Massachusetts Medical School- Baystate and Baystate Health, 3601 Main Street, 3 Floor, Springfield, MA
| | - Traci C. Green
- Opioid Policy Research Collaborative, The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA 02453
- The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Michelle McKenzie
- The Center for Health + Justice Transformation, The Miriam and Rhode Island Hospitals, 164 Summit Avenue, Providence, RI 02906
- The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Randall Hoskinson
- University of Massachusetts Medical School- Baystate and Baystate Health, 3601 Main Street, 3 Floor, Springfield, MA
| | - Jeffrey Bratberg
- University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy, 7 Greenhouse Rd, Kingston, RI 02881
| | - Susan Ramsey
- The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Josiah D. Rich
- The Center for Health + Justice Transformation, The Miriam and Rhode Island Hospitals, 164 Summit Avenue, Providence, RI 02906
- The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Peter D. Friedmann
- University of Massachusetts Medical School- Baystate and Baystate Health, 3601 Main Street, 3 Floor, Springfield, MA
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Liu S, Ma ZQ, Songer TJ, Mair C, Wahed AS, Krans E, Talbott E. Effect of HCV or HIV infection on mortality among hospitalized persons who used opioids, 2000-2010. Prev Med 2022; 161:107155. [PMID: 35817162 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Mortality due to opioid misuse and overdose has increased substantially in the United States over the past two decades. The study objective was to describe the causes of death among persons with opioid-related hospitalizations and examine survival by Hepatitis C virus (HCV) or HIV. Opioid-related hospitalization records in Pennsylvania from 2000 to 2010 were linked to death registry files to assess cause of death, and survival from first hospital discharge date to death date, or December 31, 2010. Accelerated failure time models were used to compare survival between persons with and without HCV or HIV diagnoses. Among the 136,416 individuals with an opioid-related hospitalization, 13.0% died over a median of 56 months of follow-up; the most common causes of death were circulatory diseases (26.4%) and drug overdose (23.5%). There were 27,122 (19.9%) and 3662 (2.7%) persons who had an HCV and HIV diagnosis, respectively. Among patients aged ≥20 years, those with HCV had shorter survival time compared to those without HCV, with discrepancies more pronounced at older ages. Patients with HIV also had shorter survival time (time ratio: 0.29 [95% CI: 0.26, 0.34]) compared to without HIV. These findings show that in a cohort of patients with opioid-related hospitalizations, those with HCV or HIV diagnoses have shorter survival. This has public health implications, providing further evidence that medical providers should educate patients who use opioids about the risks of HCV and HIV infection and focus prevention and treatment to decrease mortality among patients hospitalized for opioid use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Liu
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, 130 DeSoto St, Pittsburgh, PA.15261, USA.
| | - Zhen-Qiang Ma
- Pennsylvania Department of Health, 625 Forster Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120, USA
| | - Thomas J Songer
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, 130 DeSoto St, Pittsburgh, PA.15261, USA
| | - Christina Mair
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, 130 DeSoto St, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Abdus S Wahed
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health, 130 DeSoto St, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Elizabeth Krans
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, 300 Halket Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Magee-Womens Research Institute, 204 Craft Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Evelyn Talbott
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, 130 DeSoto St, Pittsburgh, PA.15261, USA
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Mateu-Gelabert P, Sabounchi NS, Guarino H, Ciervo C, Joseph K, Eckhardt BJ, Fong C, Kapadia SN, Huang TTK. Hepatitis C virus risk among young people who inject drugs. Front Public Health 2022; 10:835836. [PMID: 35968435 PMCID: PMC9372473 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.835836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Injection drug use (IDU) is the leading risk factor for hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission in the U.S. While the general risk factors for HCV transmission are known, there is limited work on how these factors interact and impact young people who inject drugs (YPWID). Methods Project data were drawn from a study of 539 New York City (NYC) residents ages 18-29 who were recruited via Respondent-Driven Sampling and, reported past-month non-medical use of prescription opioids and/or heroin. Analyses are based on a subsample of 337 (62%) who reported injecting any drug in the past 12 months. All variables were assessed via self-report, except HCV status, which was established via rapid antibody testing. Integrating the observed statistical associations with extant literature on HCV risk, we also developed a qualitative system dynamics (SD) model to use as a supplemental data visualization tool to explore plausible pathways and interactions among key risk and protective factors for HCV. Results Results showed a 31% HCV antibody prevalence with an overall incidence of 10 per 100 person-years. HCV status was independently correlated with having shared cookers with two or more people (AOR = 2.17); injected drugs 4–6 years (AOR = 2.49) and 7 or more years (AOR = 4.95); lifetime homelessness (AOR = 2.52); and having been incarcerated two or more times (AOR = 1.99). These outcomes along with the extant literature on HCV risk were used to develop the qualitative SD model, which describes a causal hypothesis around non-linearities and feedback loop structures underlying the spread of HCV among YPWID. Conclusions Despite ongoing harm reduction efforts, close to a third of YPWID in the community sample have been exposed to HCV, have risks for injection drug use, and face challenges with structural factors that may be preventing adequate intervention. The qualitative SD model explores these issues and contributes to a better understanding of how these various risk factors interact and what policies could potentially be effective in reducing HCV infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Mateu-Gelabert
- Department of Community Health and Social Sciences, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, Institute for Implementation Science in Population Health (ISPH), New York, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Pedro Mateu-Gelabert
| | - Nasim S. Sabounchi
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Center for Systems and Community Design (CSCD), CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, New York, NY, United States
| | - Honoria Guarino
- Department of Community Health and Social Sciences, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, Institute for Implementation Science in Population Health (ISPH), New York, NY, United States
| | - Courtney Ciervo
- Department of Community Health and Social Sciences, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, Institute for Implementation Science in Population Health (ISPH), New York, NY, United States
| | - Kellie Joseph
- Department of Community Health and Social Sciences, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, Institute for Implementation Science in Population Health (ISPH), New York, NY, United States
| | | | - Chunki Fong
- Department of Community Health and Social Sciences, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, Institute for Implementation Science in Population Health (ISPH), New York, NY, United States
| | - Shashi N. Kapadia
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Terry T. K. Huang
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Center for Systems and Community Design (CSCD), CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, New York, NY, United States
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Jenkins EK, Slemon A, Richardson C, Pumarino J, McAuliffe C, Thomson KC, Goodyear T, Daly Z, McGuinness L, Gadermann A. Mental Health Inequities Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings From Three Rounds of a Cross-Sectional Monitoring Survey of Canadian Adults. Int J Public Health 2022; 67:1604685. [PMID: 35936999 PMCID: PMC9349347 DOI: 10.3389/ijph.2022.1604685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: Adverse mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are well documented; however, there remains limited data detailing trends in mental health at different points in time and across population sub-groups most impacted. This paper draws on data from three rounds of a nationally representative cross-sectional monitoring survey to characterize the mental health impacts of COVID-19 on adults living in Canada (N = 9,061). Methods: Descriptive statistics were used to examine the mental health impacts of the pandemic using a range of self-reported measures. Multivariate logistic regression models were then used to quantify the independent risks of experiencing adverse mental health outcomes for priority population sub-groups, adjusting for age, gender, and survey round. Results: Data illustrate significant disparities in the mental health consequences of the pandemic, with inequitable impacts for sub-groups who experience structural vulnerability related to pre-existing mental health conditions, disability, LGBTQ2+ identity, and Indigenous identity. Conclusion: There is immediate need for population-based approaches to support mental health in Canada and globally. Approaches should attend to the root causes of mental health inequities through promotion and prevention, in addition to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily K. Jenkins
- School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Emily K. Jenkins,
| | - Allie Slemon
- School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Chris Richardson
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Javiera Pumarino
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Corey McAuliffe
- School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kimberly C. Thomson
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Trevor Goodyear
- School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Zachary Daly
- School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Liza McGuinness
- School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Anne Gadermann
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Evon DM, Hurt CB, Carpenter DM, Rhea SK, Hennessy CM, Zule WA. Substance Use Disorder Treatment Providers' Knowledge and Opinions Toward Testing and Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C in Rural North Carolina. RURAL MENTAL HEALTH 2022; 46:162-173. [PMID: 35967261 PMCID: PMC9371459 DOI: 10.1037/rmh0000200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Poor access to care has made western North Carolina vulnerable to an outbreak of hepatitis C viral infection (HCV), particularly among persons who inject drugs (PWID). As substance use disorder (SUD) treatment providers could potentially improve linkage to HCV testing and treatment, we sought to understand SUD providers, clinic and client characteristics; referral patterns; HCV knowledge; willingness to participate in additional trainings; and local linkage-to-care pathways for treatment of substance use and HCV. Online survey data were collected from 78 SUD providers serving PWID in eight western rural North Carolina counties. Providers' attitudes toward working with HCV+ clients were very positive. One-third of providers reported a low fund of knowledge regarding HCV, HCV treatment, and financial assistance opportunities. Non-prescribing providers rarely initiated discussions about HCV testing/treatment, but were receptive to training. Respondents indicated that HCV testing and treatment were best delivered at local health departments or primary care clinics but were open to other venues where PWID access care. The vast majority of prescribing and non-prescribing providers expressed interest in obtaining training in HCV treatments, how to obtain HCV medications and topics on advanced liver disease. Data from prescribing and non-prescribing SUD providers suggest opportunities to develop or expand integrated care models for HCV testing/treatment in PWID in rural Appalachian North Carolina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donna M. Evon
- Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Christopher B. Hurt
- Institute for Global Health & Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Delesha M. Carpenter
- Division of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Philbin MM, Giovenco DP, Mauro PM. Commentary on Weinberger et al.: Tobacco and cannabis policies as drivers of nicotine and cannabis co-use - research and measurement implications to move the field forward. Addiction 2022; 117:1778-1780. [PMID: 35362234 DOI: 10.1111/add.15885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Morgan M Philbin
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daniel P Giovenco
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Pia M Mauro
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
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Acceptability of a HIV self-testing program among people who use illicit drugs. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2022; 103:103613. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Study protocol of a randomized controlled trial comparing two linkage models for HIV prevention and treatment in justice-involved persons. BMC Infect Dis 2022; 22:380. [PMID: 35428213 PMCID: PMC9013109 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-022-07354-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Persons involved in the justice system are at high risk for HIV and drug overdose upon release to the community. This manuscript describes a randomized controlled trial of two evidence-based linkage interventions for provision of HIV prevention and treatment and substance use disorder (SUD) services in four high risk communities to assess which is more effective at addressing these needs upon reentry to the community from the justice system. Methods This is a 5-year hybrid type 1 effectiveness-implementation randomized controlled trial that compares two models (Patient Navigation [PN] or Mobile Health Unit [MHU] service delivery) of linking justice-involved individuals to the continuum of community-based HIV and SUD prevention and treatment service cascades of care. A total of 864 justice-involved individuals in four US communities with pre-arrest histories of opioid and/or stimulant use who are living with or at-risk of HIV will be randomized to receive either: (a) PN, wherein patient navigators will link study participants to community-based service providers; or (b) services delivered via an MHU, wherein study participants will be provided integrated HIV prevention/ treatment services and SUD services. The six-month post-release intervention will focus on access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for those without HIV and antiretroviral treatment (ART) for people living with HIV (PLH). Secondary outcomes will examine the continuum of PrEP and HIV care, including: HIV viral load, PrEP/ ART adherence; HIV risk behaviors; HCV testing and linkage to treatment; and sexually transmitted infection incidence and treatment. Additionally, opioid and other substance use disorder diagnoses, prescription, receipt, and retention on medication for opioid use disorder; opioid and stimulant use; and overdose will also be assessed. Primary implementation outcomes include feasibility, acceptability, sustainability, and costs required to implement and sustain the approaches as well as to scale-up in additional communities. Discussion Results from this project will help inform future methods of delivery of prevention, testing, and treatment of HIV, HCV, substance use disorders (particularly for opioids and stimulants), and sexually transmitted infections for justice-involved individuals in the community. Trial registration: Clincialtrials.gov NCT05286879 March 18, 2022.
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Hossain MM, Saha N, Rodela TT, Tasnim S, Nuzhath T, Roy TJ, Burdine JN, Ahmed HU, McKyer ELJ, Basu BK, Ma P. Global research on syndemics: a meta-knowledge analysis (2001-2020). F1000Res 2022; 11:253. [PMID: 36936050 PMCID: PMC10015119 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.74190.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Syndemics or synergies of cooccurring epidemics are widely studied across health and social sciences in recent years. METHODS We conducted a meta-knowledge analysis of articles published between 2001 to 2020 in this growing field of academic scholarship. RESULTS We found a total of 830 articles authored by 3025 authors, mostly from high-income countries. Publications on syndemics are gradually increasing since 2003, with rapid development in 2013. Each article was cited more than 15 times on average, and most (n = 604) articles were original studies. Syndemics research focused on several areas, including HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, mental health, gender minority stressors, racism, violence, chronic physical and mental disorders, food insecurity, social determinants of health, and coronavirus disease 2019. Moreover, biopsychosocial interactions between multiple health problems were studied across medical, anthropological, public health, and other disciplines of science. CONCLUSIONS The limited yet rapidly evolving literature on syndemics informs transdisciplinary interests to understand complex coexisting health challenges in the context of systematic exclusion and structural violence in vulnerable populations. The findings also suggest applications of syndemic theory to evaluate clinical and public health problems, examine the socioecological dynamics of factors influencing health and wellbeing, and use the insights to alleviate health inequities in the intersections of synergistic epidemics and persistent contextual challenges for population health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Mahbub Hossain
- EviSyn Health, Khulna, Bangladesh
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health Sciences, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Stataion, Texas, 77840, USA
| | - Nobonita Saha
- Institute of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Tahmina Tasnim Rodela
- Department of Economics, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Tangail, Bangladesh
| | - Samia Tasnim
- EviSyn Health, Khulna, Bangladesh
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health Sciences, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Stataion, Texas, 77840, USA
| | - Tasmiah Nuzhath
- EviSyn Health, Khulna, Bangladesh
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health Sciences, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Stataion, Texas, 77840, USA
| | - Tamal Joyti Roy
- Institute of Information and Communication Technology, Khulna, Bangladesh
| | - James N. Burdine
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health Sciences, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Stataion, Texas, 77840, USA
| | | | - E. Lisako J. McKyer
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health Sciences, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Stataion, Texas, 77840, USA
| | | | - Ping Ma
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health Sciences, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Stataion, Texas, 77840, USA
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Hossain MM, Saha N, Rodela TT, Tasnim S, Nuzhath T, Roy TJ, Burdine JN, Ahmed HU, McKyer ELJ, Basu BK, Ma P. Global research on syndemics: a meta-knowledge analysis (2001-2020). F1000Res 2022; 11:253. [PMID: 36936050 PMCID: PMC10015119 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.74190.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Syndemics or synergies of cooccurring epidemics are widely studied across health and social sciences in recent years. METHODS We conducted a meta-knowledge analysis of articles published between 2001 to 2020 in this growing field of academic scholarship. RESULTS We found a total of 830 articles authored by 3025 authors, mostly from high-income countries. Publications on syndemics are gradually increasing since 2003, with rapid development in 2013. Each article was cited more than 15 times on average, and most (n = 604) articles were original studies. Syndemics research focused on several areas, including HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, mental health, gender minority stressors, racism, violence, chronic physical and mental disorders, food insecurity, social determinants of health, and coronavirus disease 2019. Moreover, biopsychosocial interactions between multiple health problems were studied across medical, anthropological, public health, and other disciplines of science. CONCLUSIONS The limited yet rapidly evolving literature on syndemics informs transdisciplinary interests to understand complex coexisting health challenges in the context of systematic exclusion and structural violence in vulnerable populations. The findings also suggest applications of syndemic theory to evaluate clinical and public health problems, examine the socioecological dynamics of factors influencing health and wellbeing, and use the insights to alleviate health inequities in the intersections of synergistic epidemics and persistent contextual challenges for population health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Mahbub Hossain
- EviSyn Health, Khulna, Bangladesh
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health Sciences, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Stataion, Texas, 77840, USA
| | - Nobonita Saha
- Institute of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Tahmina Tasnim Rodela
- Department of Economics, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Tangail, Bangladesh
| | - Samia Tasnim
- EviSyn Health, Khulna, Bangladesh
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health Sciences, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Stataion, Texas, 77840, USA
| | - Tasmiah Nuzhath
- EviSyn Health, Khulna, Bangladesh
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health Sciences, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Stataion, Texas, 77840, USA
| | - Tamal Joyti Roy
- Institute of Information and Communication Technology, Khulna, Bangladesh
| | - James N. Burdine
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health Sciences, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Stataion, Texas, 77840, USA
| | | | - E. Lisako J. McKyer
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health Sciences, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Stataion, Texas, 77840, USA
| | | | - Ping Ma
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health Sciences, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Stataion, Texas, 77840, USA
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Chenneville T, Gabbidon K, Bharat B, Whitney Z, Adeli S, Anyango M. The Biopsychosocial Impact and Syndemic Effect of COVID-19 on Youth Living with HIV in Kenya. J Int Assoc Provid AIDS Care 2022; 21:23259582221112342. [PMID: 35818725 PMCID: PMC9280818 DOI: 10.1177/23259582221112342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
COVID-19's rapid emergence as a biological and psychosocial threat has affected people globally. The purpose of this qualitative study, which was guided by syndemic theory and the biopsychosocial framework, was to examine the impact of COVID-19 on youth living with HIV (YLWH) in Kenya. Seven virtual focus groups and two in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 YLWH aged 18-24, 13 youth affected by HIV aged 18-24, and 12 HIV healthcare providers living in Nakuru and Eldoret, two of Kenya's largest cities. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis, which was guided by a descriptive phenomenological approach. Findings provided information about the problems and needs of YLWH as well as potential solutions for mitigating COVID-19's biopsychosocial impact and syndemic effect on YLWH in Kenya. A variety of individual, community, healthcare, and government issues were identified including but not limited to concerns about psychosocial functioning; economic stability; access to medical treatment and medication; the availability of goods and services; patient education; and the dissemination of accurate information. These findings have important implications for addressing the ongoing and long-term impact of the pandemic on YLWH in resource-limited settings through research, policy, and practice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Bharat Bharat
- 92562University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL, USA
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Mezaache S, Briand-Madrid L, Laporte V, Rojas Castro D, Carrieri P, Roux P. A syndemic examination of injecting drug use, incarceration and multiple drug-related harms in French opioid users. Int J Prison Health 2021; 18:417-428. [PMID: 34928106 DOI: 10.1108/ijph-06-2021-0056] [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: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE People who inject drugs (PWID) face multiple health problems, including infectious diseases and drug overdoses. Applying syndemic and risk environment frameworks, this paper aims to examine the co-occurrence and clustering of drug-related harms and their association with incarceration experience with or without in-prison drug injection. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH The authors used data from a cross-sectional survey conducted in 2015 among 557 active opioid injectors. Self-reported data were collected through face-to-face or online questionnaires. They distinguished three harm categories, namely, viral infections, bacterial infections and overdoses, and built an index variable by summing the number of harm categories experienced, yielding a score from 0 to 3. Association between incarceration experience and co-occurrence of harms was modelled using a multinomial logistic regression. FINDINGS Of the 557 participants, 30% reported lifetime experience of drug-related viral infection, 46% bacterial infection and 22% drug overdose. Multinomial logistic models showed that those who injected drugs during incarceration were more likely to report two (aOR = 2.35, 95% CI: 1.03-5.36) and three (aOR = 9.72, 95% CI: 3.23-29.22) harm categories than those who had never been incarcerated. They were also more likely to report three harm categories than formerly incarcerated respondents who did not inject drugs in prison (aOR = 5.14, 95% CI: 1.71-15.48). ORIGINALITY/VALUE This study provides insights of the syndemic nature of drug-related harms and highlights that drug injection during incarceration is associated with co-occurring harms. Public health interventions and policy changes are needed to limit the deleterious impact of prison on PWID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salim Mezaache
- Aix Marseille Univ, Inserm, IRD, SESSTIM, Sciences Economiques & Sociales de la Santé & Traitement de l'Information Médicale, ISSPAM, Marseille, France and ORS PACA, Observatoire régional de la santé Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Marseille, France
| | - Laélia Briand-Madrid
- Aix Marseille Univ, Inserm, IRD, SESSTIM, Sciences Economiques & Sociales de la Santé & Traitement de l'Information Médicale, ISSPAM, Marseille, France and ORS PACA, Observatoire régional de la santé Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Marseille, France
| | | | - Daniela Rojas Castro
- Aix Marseille Univ, Inserm, IRD, SESSTIM, Sciences Economiques & Sociales de la Santé & Traitement de l'Information Médicale, ISSPAM, Marseille, France; ORS PACA, Observatoire régional de la santé Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Marseille, France and Coalition PLUS, Pantin, France
| | - Patrizia Carrieri
- Aix Marseille Univ, Inserm, IRD, SESSTIM, Sciences Economiques & Sociales de la Santé & Traitement de l'Information Médicale, ISSPAM, Marseille, France, and ORS PACA, Observatoire régional de la santé Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Marseille, France
| | - Perrine Roux
- Aix Marseille Univ, Inserm, IRD, SESSTIM, Sciences Economiques & Sociales de la Santé & Traitement de l'Information Médicale, ISSPAM, Marseille, France, and ORS PACA, Observatoire régional de la santé Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Marseille, France
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Schultheis A, Sanchez M, Pedersen S, Kyriakides T, Ho YC, Kluger Y, Springer SA. Design and implementation of a cohort study of persons living with HIV infection who are initiating medication treatment for opioid use disorder to evaluate HIV-1 persistence. Contemp Clin Trials Commun 2021; 24:100866. [PMID: 34825103 PMCID: PMC8605182 DOI: 10.1016/j.conctc.2021.100866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Opioid use disorder (OUD) negatively impacts the HIV continuum of care for persons living with HIV (PLH). Medication treatment for OUD (MOUD) may have differential biological effects in individuals with HIV and OUD. To understand the role of MOUD - opioid agonist methadone, partial agonist buprenorphine and antagonist naltrexone - in HIV-1 persistence and reactivation, we will use molecular virology approaches to carry out the first prospective, longitudinal studies of adults living with HIV with OUD initiating MOUD. One of the major challenges to studying the impact of MOUD on HIV persistence is the low retention rate of study participants and the requirement of large-volume blood sampling to study the HIV proviral landscape and expression profiles. METHODS A prospective cohort study is underway to study the HIV-1 expression, proviral landscape, and clonal expansion dynamics using limited blood sampling from persons with DSM-5 diagnosed OUD who are living with HIV infection and initiating treatment with methadone, buprenorphine, or extended-release naltrexone. RESULTS We describe the recruitment, laboratory, and statistical methods of this study as well as the protocol details of this on-going study. Out of the 510 screened for enrollment into the study, 35 (7%) were eligible and 27 were enrolled thus far. Retention through month 3 has been high at 95%. CONCLUSIONS This on-going study is evaluating the impact of MOUD on HIV persistence at the molecular virology level using limited blood sampling via a prospective, longitudinal study of people living with HIV DSM-5 OUD initiating treatment with MOUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alysse Schultheis
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, AIDS Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Mark Sanchez
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, AIDS Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Savannah Pedersen
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Tassos Kyriakides
- VA Cooperative Studies Program Coordinating Center, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, USA
| | - Ya-Chi Ho
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yuval Kluger
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Sandra A. Springer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, AIDS Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS, Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
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Acceptability, feasibility, and pilot results of the tele-harm reduction intervention for rapid initiation of antiretrovirals among people who inject drugs. Drug Alcohol Depend 2021; 229:109124. [PMID: 34781096 PMCID: PMC9102418 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.109124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND People who inject drugs (PWID) have been a marginalized and a stigmatized population since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic and have not experienced the same life-changing benefits of antiretroviral therapy as others. Tele-Harm Reduction (THR) is a telehealth-enhanced, harm reduction intervention, delivered within a trusted SSP venue. It aims to facilitate initiation of care and achieve rapid HIV viral suppression among PWID living with HIV. METHODS In this mixed-methods study, we employed the Practical, Robust, Implementation and Sustainability Model (PRISM) implementation science framework to identify multilevel barriers and facilitators to implementing the THR intervention. Focus groups (n = 2, 16 participants), stakeholder interviews (n = 7) and in-depth interviews were conducted with PWID living with HIV (n = 25). In addition, to assess feasibility and acceptability, we pilot tested the THR intervention and reported viral suppression at 6 months. RESULTS Focus groups and stakeholder interviews revealed system and organizational level barriers to implementation including requirements for identification and in person visits, waiting times, stigma, case management inexperience, multiple electronic health records, and billing. A potential facilitator was using telehealth for case management and initial provider visit. In the in depth interviews conducted with PWID living with HIV, participants expressed that the SSP creates a convenient, comfortable, confidential environment for delivering multiple, non-stigmatizing PWID-specific services. 35 PWID living with HIV were enrolled in the pilot study, 35 initiated antiretroviral therapy, and 25 (78.1%) were virally suppressed at six months. CONCLUSION Rooted in harm reduction, the THR intervention shows promise in being an acceptable and feasible intervention that may facilitate engagement in HIV care and viral suppression among PWID.
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