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Stritzel H. Substance Use-Associated Infant Maltreatment Report Rates in the Context of Complex Prenatal Substance Use Policy Environments. CHILD MALTREATMENT 2024; 29:574-586. [PMID: 37955183 PMCID: PMC11380795 DOI: 10.1177/10775595231213404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
State responses to substance use during pregnancy have included policies designed to increase access to substance use treatment as well as punish such substance use. Prior research has found that punitive policies are associated with increased rates of child maltreatment reporting, but it is unclear if the presence of punitive-promoting policies also moderate the association between access-promoting polices and maltreatment reports. Using data from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System and state-level fixed effects models, this study investigates how interactions between access-promoting and punitive prenatal substance use policies are associated with rates of substance use-associated maltreatment reports among infants. In states with punitive policies, access-promoting policies were associated with smaller decreases in these reports than in states without punitive policies. In some cases, access-promoting policies were associated with greater increases in these reports when punitive policies were also present than when only one type of policy was adopted. Interactions between prenatal substance use policies may result in unintended and counterproductive consequences for maternal and child health and the child welfare system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haley Stritzel
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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2
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Kiefer MK, Cowen J, Hinely KA, Rood KM. Prolonged detection of urine norfentanyl in individuals enrolled in a medication for opioid use disorder in pregnancy and postpartum program: a case series. AJOG GLOBAL REPORTS 2024; 4:100313. [PMID: 38524188 PMCID: PMC10957421 DOI: 10.1016/j.xagr.2024.100313] [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: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although urine drug testing can have vast legal and social ramifications, its interpretation during pregnancy and after birth remains not well understood. Fentanyl metabolism is altered by an individual's genetics, history of opioid use, and liver function. However, little is known about the clearance of fentanyl or its primary metabolite, norfentanyl, in the peripartum period. OBJECTIVE We sought to identify and describe cases of delayed urine norfentanyl clearance in the pregnancy and postpartum period within our institution. STUDY DESIGN This study described 3 cases of delayed urine norfentanyl clearance in pregnant and postpartum individuals in a colocated obstetrics, postpartum, and addiction medicine program. This program included prescriptions for medication for opioid use disorder and weekly urine drug testing with fentanyl immunoassay with reflex confirmation testing with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for positive results with a limit of detection of 2.5 ng/mL. RESULTS Low levels of norfentanyl (<16.3 ng/mL) were detected in urine 294 days, 126 days, and 231 days after the last fentanyl use. Patient self-reported abstinence was supported by consistently negative urine fentanyl levels throughout the collection period, compliant weekly urine drug tests that were otherwise only positive for buprenorphine, and negative fentanyl and norfentanyl in umbilical cord toxicology. CONCLUSION Despite compliance in a medication for opioid use disorder program, the presence of norfentanyl in urine has significant consequences on the maternal-child dyad in the postpartum period. Caution should be used when using low levels of norfentanyl to determine an individual's abstinence, as it can lead to further discrimination against women in medication for opioid use disorder programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda K. Kiefer
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH (Dr Kiefer, Ms Hinely, and Dr Rood)
| | - Jamie Cowen
- The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH (Ms Cowen)
| | - Katherine A. Hinely
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH (Dr Kiefer, Ms Hinely, and Dr Rood)
| | - Kara M. Rood
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH (Dr Kiefer, Ms Hinely, and Dr Rood)
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Roberts SCM, Taylor KJ, Alexander K, Goodman D, Martinez N, Terplan M. Training health professionals to reduce overreporting of birthing people who use drugs to child welfare. Addict Sci Clin Pract 2024; 19:32. [PMID: 38671544 PMCID: PMC11046794 DOI: 10.1186/s13722-024-00466-6] [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: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Health care providers are a key source of reports of infants to child welfare related to birthing people's substance use. Many of these reports are overreports, or reports that exceed what is legally mandated, and reflect racial bias. We developed and evaluated a webinar for health professionals to address overreporting related to birthing people's substance use. METHODS This evaluation study collected data from health professionals registering to participate in a professional education webinar about pregnancy, substance use, and child welfare reporting. It collected baseline data upon webinar registration, immediate post-webinar data, and 6 month follow-up data. Differences in both pre-post-and 6 month follow-up data were used to examine changes from before to after the webinars in beliefs, attitudes, and practices related to pregnant and birthing people who use drugs and child welfare reporting. RESULTS 592 nurses, social workers, physicians, public health professionals, and other health professionals completed the baseline survey. More than half of those completing the baseline survey (n = 307, 52%) completed one or both follow-up surveys. We observed statistically significant changes in five of the eleven opioid attitudes/beliefs and in four of the nine child welfare attitudes/beliefs from baseline to follow-ups, and few changes in "control statements," i.e. beliefs we did not expect to change based on webinar participation. All of the changes were in the direction of less support for child welfare reporting. In particular, the proportion agreeing with the main evaluation outcome of "I would rather err on the side of overreporting to child welfare than underreporting to child welfare" decreased from 41% at baseline to 28% and 31% post-webinar and at 6-month follow up (p = 0.001). In addition, fewer participants endorsed reporting everyone at the 6 month follow-up than at baseline (12% to 22%) and more participants endorsed reporting no one at the 6-month follow-up than at baseline (28% to 18%), p = 0.013. CONCLUSIONS Webinars on the legal, scientific, and ethical aspects of reporting that are co-developed with people with lived experience may be a path to reducing health professional overreporting to child welfare related to birthing people's substance use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C M Roberts
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, Oakland, CA, 94612, USA.
| | | | - Karen Alexander
- Friends Research Institute, 1040 Park Ave., Suite 103, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Daisy Goodman
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, 1 Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH, 03756, USA
| | - Noelle Martinez
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, 3350 La Jolla Village Drive, San Diego, CA, 92161, USA
| | - Mishka Terplan
- Friends Research Institute, 1040 Park Ave., Suite 103, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
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Bruzelius E, Underhill K, Askari MS, Kajeepeta S, Bates L, Prins SJ, Jarlenski M, Martins SS. Punitive legal responses to prenatal drug use in the United States: A survey of state policies and systematic review of their public health impacts. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2024; 126:104380. [PMID: 38484529 PMCID: PMC11056296 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Punitive legal responses to prenatal drug use may be associated with unintended adverse health consequences. However, in a rapidly shifting policy climate, current information has not been summarized. We conducted a survey of U.S. state policies that utilize criminal or civil legal system penalties to address prenatal drug use. We then systematically identified empirical studies evaluating these policies and summarized their potential public health impacts. METHODS Using existing databases and original statutory research, we surveyed current U.S. state-level prenatal drug use policies authorizing explicit criminalization, involuntary commitment, civil child abuse substantiation, and parental rights termination. Next, we systematically identified quantitative associations between these policies and health outcomes, restricting to U.S.-based peer-reviewed research, published January 2000-December 2022. Results described study characteristics and synthesized the evidence on health-related harms and benefits associated with punitive policies. Validity threats were described narratively. RESULTS By 2022, two states had adopted policies explicitly authorizing criminal prosecution, and five states allowed pregnancy-specific and drug use-related involuntary civil commitment. Prenatal drug use was grounds for substantiating civil child abuse and terminating parental rights in 22 and five states, respectively. Of the 16 review-identified articles, most evaluated associations between punitive policies generally (k = 12), or civil child abuse policies specifically (k = 2), and multiple outcomes, including drug treatment utilization (k = 6), maltreatment reporting and foster care entry (k = 5), neonatal drug withdrawal syndrome (NDWS, k = 4) and other pregnancy and birth-related outcomes (k = 3). Most included studies reported null associations or suggested increases in adverse outcome following punitive policy adoption. CONCLUSIONS Nearly half of U.S. states have adopted policies that respond to prenatal drug use with legal system penalties. While additional research is needed to clarify whether such approaches engender overt health harms, current evidence indicates that punitive policies are not associated with public health benefits, and therefore constitute ineffective policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Bruzelius
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722W. 168th St. New York, NY 10032, USA.
| | - Kristen Underhill
- Cornell University Law School, 306 Myron Taylor Hall Ithaca, NY 14853-4901, USA
| | - Melanie S Askari
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722W. 168th St. New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Sandhya Kajeepeta
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722W. 168th St. New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Lisa Bates
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722W. 168th St. New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Seth J Prins
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722W. 168th St. New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Marian Jarlenski
- Department of Health Policy and Management, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, A619 130 De Soto Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Silvia S Martins
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722W. 168th St. New York, NY 10032, USA
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Carroll JJ, Ostrach B, El-Sabawi T. Health Inequities Among People Who Use Drugs in a Post- Dobbs America: The Case for a Syndemic Analysis. THE JOURNAL OF LAW, MEDICINE & ETHICS : A JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF LAW, MEDICINE & ETHICS 2023; 51:549-553. [PMID: 38088631 PMCID: PMC11262022 DOI: 10.1017/jme.2023.96] [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] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Punitive policy responses to substance use and to abortion care constitute direct attacks on personal liberty and bodily autonomy. In this article, we leverage the concept of "syndemics" to anticipate how the already synergistic stigmas against people who use drugs and people who seek abortion services will be further compounded the Dobbs decision.
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Berglas NF, Subbaraman MS, Thomas S, Roberts SCM. Pregnancy-specific alcohol policies and admissions to substance use disorder treatment for pregnant people in the USA. Alcohol Alcohol 2023; 58:645-652. [PMID: 37623929 PMCID: PMC10642603 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agad056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS We examined relationships between pregnancy-specific alcohol policies and admissions to substance use disorder treatment for pregnant people in the USA. METHODS We merged state-level policy and treatment admissions data for 1992-2019. We aggregated data by state-year to examine effects of nine pregnancy-specific alcohol policies on the number of admissions of pregnant women where alcohol was reported as the primary, secondary, or tertiary substance related to the treatment episode (N = 1331). We fit Poisson models that included all policy variables, state-level controls, fixed effects for state and year, state-specific time trends, and an offset variable of the number of pregnancies in the state-year to account for differences in population size and fertility. RESULTS When alcohol was reported as the primary substance, civil commitment [incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.45, 95% CI: 1.10-1.89] and reporting requirements for assessment and treatment purposes [IRR 1.36, 95% CI: 1.04-1.77] were associated with greater treatment admissions. Findings for alcohol as primary, secondary, or tertiary substance were similar for civil commitment [IRR 1.31, 95% CI: 1.08-1.59] and reporting requirements for assessment and treatment purposes [IRR 1.21, 95% CI: 1.00-1.47], although mandatory warning signs [IRR 0.84, 95% CI: 0.72-0.98] and priority treatment for pregnant women [IRR 0.88, 95% CI: 0.78-0.99] were associated with fewer treatment admissions. Priority treatment findings were not robust in sensitivity analyses. No other policies were associated with treatment admissions. CONCLUSIONS Pregnancy-specific alcohol policies related to greater treatment admissions tend to mandate treatment rather than make voluntary treatment more accessible, raising questions of ethics and effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy F Berglas
- Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, 1330 Broadway, Suite 1100, Oakland, CA 94612, United States
| | | | - Sue Thomas
- Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, PO Box 7042, Santa Cruz, CA 96061, United States
| | - Sarah C M Roberts
- Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, 1330 Broadway, Suite 1100, Oakland, CA 94612, United States
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7
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Lipsett M, Wyant-Stein K, Mendes S, Berger E, Berkman ET, Terplan M, Cioffi CC. Addressing stigma within the dissemination of research products to improve quality of care for pregnant and parenting people affected by substance use disorder. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1199661. [PMID: 37351006 PMCID: PMC10282149 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1199661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Substance use disorders are a common and treatable condition among pregnant and parenting people. Social, self, and structural stigma experienced by this group represent a barrier to harm reduction, treatment utilization, and quality of care. We examine features of research dissemination that may generate or uphold stigmatization at every level for pregnant and parenting individuals affected by substance use disorder and their children. We explore stigma reduction practices within the research community that can increase uptake of evidence-based treatment programs and prevent potential harm related to substance use in pregnant and parenting people. The strategies we propose include: (1) address researcher stereotypes, prejudice, and misconceptions about pregnant and parenting people with substance use disorder; (2) engage in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaborations that engage with researchers who have lived experience in substance use; (3) use community-based approaches and engage community partners, (4) address stigmatizing language in science communication; (5) provide contextualizing information about the social and environmental factors that influence substance use among pregnant and parenting people; and (6) advocate for stigma-reducing policies in research articles and other scholarly products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Lipsett
- Department of Psychology, Center for Translational Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
| | - Katie Wyant-Stein
- Diamond Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Simone Mendes
- Department of Psychology, Center for Translational Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
| | - Estelle Berger
- Department of Psychology, Center for Translational Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
| | - Elliot T. Berkman
- Department of Psychology, Center for Translational Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
| | - Mishka Terplan
- Friends Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Camille C. Cioffi
- Department of Psychology, Center for Translational Neuroscience, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
- Prevention Science Institute, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, United States
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8
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Barber CM, Terplan M. Principles of care for pregnant and parenting people with substance use disorder: the obstetrician gynecologist perspective. Front Pediatr 2023; 11:1045745. [PMID: 37292372 PMCID: PMC10246753 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2023.1045745] [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: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Substance use in pregnant and parenting persons is common, yet still underdiagnosed. Substance use disorder (SUD) is one of the most stigmatized and undertreated chronic medical conditions, and this is exacerbated in the perinatal period. Many providers are not sufficiently trained in screening or treatment for substance use, so gaps in care for this population persist. Punitive policies towards substance use in pregnancy have proliferated, lead to decreased prenatal care, do not improve birth outcomes, and disproportionately impact Black, Indigenous, and other families of color. We discuss the importance of understanding the unique barriers of pregnancy-capable persons and drug overdose as one of the leading causes of maternal death in the United States. We highlight the principles of care from the obstetrician-gynecologist perspective including care for the dyad, person-centered language, and current medical terminology. We then review treatment of the most common substances, discuss SUD during the birthing hospitalization, and highlight the high risk of mortality in the postpartum period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecily May Barber
- Grayken Center for Addiction, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Mishka Terplan
- Friends Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
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9
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Lin B, Zheng Y, Roussos-Ross D, Gurka KK, Gurka MJ, Hu H. An external exposome-wide association study of opioid use disorder diagnosed during pregnancy in Florida. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 870:161842. [PMID: 36716893 PMCID: PMC9998369 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The prevalence of opioid use disorder (OUD) during pregnancy has quadrupled in recent years and widely varies geographically in the US. However, few studies have examined which environmental factors are associated with OUD during pregnancy. We conducted an external exposome-wide association study (ExWAS) to investigate the associations between external environmental factors and OUD diagnosed during pregnancy. Data were obtained from a unique, statewide database in Florida comprising linked individual-level birth and electronic health records. A total of 255,228 pregnancies with conception dates between 2012 and 2016 were included. We examined 82 exposome measures characterizing seven aspects of the built and social environment and spatiotemporally linked them to each individual record. A two-phase procedure was utilized for the external ExWAS. In Phase 1, we randomly divided the data into a discovery set (50 %) and a replication set (50 %). Associations between exposome measures (normalized and standardized) and OUD initially diagnosed during pregnancy were examined using logistic regression. A total of 15 variables were significant in both the discovery and replication sets. In Phase 2, multivariable logistic regression was used to fit all variables selected from Phase 1. Measures of walkability (the national walkability index, OR: 1.23, 95 % CI: 1.17, 1.29), vacant land (the percent vacant land for 36 months or longer, OR: 1.06, 95 % CI: 1.00, 1.12) and food access (the percentage of low food access population that are seniors at 1/2 mile, OR: 1.47, 95 % CI: 1.38, 1.57) were each associated with diagnosis of OUD during pregnancy. This is the first external ExWAS of OUD during pregnancy, and the results suggest that low food access, high walkability, and high vacant land in under-resourced neighborhoods are associated with diagnosis of OUD during pregnancy. These findings could help develop complementary tools for universal screening for substance use and provide direction for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boya Lin
- Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Yi Zheng
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dikea Roussos-Ross
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Kelly K Gurka
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health and Health Professions and College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Matthew J Gurka
- Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Hui Hu
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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White SA, McCourt A, Bandara S, Goodman DJ, Patel E, McGinty EE. Implementation of State Laws Giving Pregnant People Priority Access to Drug Treatment Programs in the Context of Coexisting Punitive Laws. Womens Health Issues 2023; 33:117-125. [PMID: 36272928 DOI: 10.1016/j.whi.2022.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In response to increased prenatal drug use since the 2000s, states have adopted treatment-oriented laws giving pregnant and postpartum people priority access to public drug treatment programs as well as multiple punitive policy responses. No prior studies have systematically characterized these state statutes or examined implementation of state priority access laws in the context of co-existing punitive laws. METHODS We conducted legal mapping to examine state priority access laws and their overlap with state laws deeming prenatal drug use to be child maltreatment, mandating reporting of prenatal drug use to child protective services, or criminalizing prenatal drug use. We also conducted interviews with 51 state leaders with expertise on their states' prenatal drug use laws to understand how priority access laws were implemented. RESULTS Thirty-three states and the District of Columbia have a priority access law, and more than 80% of these jurisdictions also have one of the punitive prenatal drug use laws described. Leaders reported major barriers to implementing state priority access laws, including the lack of drug treatment programs, stigma, and conflicts with punitive prenatal drug use laws. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that state laws granting pregnant and postpartum people priority access to drug treatment programs are likely insufficient to significantly increase access to evidence-based drug treatment. Punitive state prenatal drug use laws may counteract priority access laws by impeding treatment seeking. Findings highlight the need to allocate additional resources to drug treatment for pregnant and postpartum people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A White
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, Baltimore, Maryland.
| | - Alexander McCourt
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Sachini Bandara
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Mental Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Daisy J Goodman
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lebanon, New Hampshire
| | - Esita Patel
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Emma E McGinty
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, Baltimore, Maryland
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11
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Meinhofer A, Witman A, Maclean JC, Bao Y. Prenatal substance use policies and newborn health. HEALTH ECONOMICS 2022; 31:1452-1467. [PMID: 35445500 PMCID: PMC9177792 DOI: 10.1002/hec.4518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
We study the effect of punitive and priority treatment policies relating to illicit substance use during pregnancy on the rate of neonatal drug withdrawal syndrome, low birth weight, low gestational age, and prenatal care use. Punitive policies criminalize prenatal substance use, or define prenatal substance exposure as child maltreatment in child welfare statutes or as grounds for termination of parental rights. Priority treatment policies are supportive and grant pregnant women priority access to substance use disorder treatment programs. Our empirical strategy relies on administrative data from 2008 to 2018 and a difference-in-differences framework that exploits the staggered implementation of these policies. We find that neonatal drug withdrawal syndrome increases by 10%-18% following the implementation of a punitive policy. This growth is accompanied by modest reductions in prenatal care, which may reflect deterrence from healthcare utilization. In contrast, priority treatment policies are associated with small reductions in low gestational age (2%) and low birth weight (2%), along with increases in prenatal care use. Taken together, our findings suggest that punitive approaches may be associated with unintended adverse pregnancy outcomes, and that supportive approaches may be more effective for improving perinatal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angélica Meinhofer
- Department of Population Health SciencesWeill Cornell MedicineNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Allison Witman
- Cameron School of BusinessUniversity of North Carolina WilmingtonWilmingtonNorth CarolinaUSA
| | | | - Yuhua Bao
- Department of Population Health SciencesWeill Cornell MedicineNew YorkNew YorkUSA
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12
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Maclean JC, Witman A, Durrance CP, Atkins DN, Meinhofer A. Prenatal Substance Use Policies And Infant Maltreatment Reports. Health Aff (Millwood) 2022; 41:703-712. [PMID: 35500191 PMCID: PMC10035583 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2021.01755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
We studied the effect of state punitive and supportive prenatal substance use policies on reports of infant maltreatment to child protection agencies. Punitive policies criminalize prenatal substance use or define it as child maltreatment, whereas supportive policies provide pregnant women with priority access to substance use disorder treatment programs. Using difference-in-differences methods, we found that total infant maltreatment reports increased by 19.0 percent after punitive policy adoption during the years of our study (2004-18). This growth was driven by a 38.4 percent increase in substantiated reports in which the mother was the alleged perpetrator. There were no changes in unsubstantiated reports after the adoption of punitive policies. We observed no changes in infant maltreatment reports after the adoption of supportive policies. Findings suggest that punitive policies lead to large increases in substantiated infant maltreatment reports, which in turn may lead to child welfare system involvement soon after childbirth in states with these policies. Policy makers should design interventions that emphasize support services and improve well-being for mothers and infants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Allison Witman
- Allison Witman, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina
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13
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Reddy J, Schiff D. A response to 'Association between punitive policies and neonatal abstinence syndrome among Medicaid-insured infants in complex policy environments'. Addiction 2022; 117:833-834. [PMID: 34338392 PMCID: PMC8807760 DOI: 10.1111/add.15650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Julia Reddy
- Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North
Carolina, Chapel Hill, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Davida Schiff
- Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, Division of
General Academic Pediatrics, Mass General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA,
125 Nashua Street, Suite 860, Boston, MA 02114
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Faherty LJ, Patrick SW, Stein BD. Response to Reddy and Schiff. Addiction 2022; 117:834-835. [PMID: 34427012 DOI: 10.1111/add.15669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura J Faherty
- RAND Corporation, Boston, MA, USA.,School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stephen W Patrick
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.,Mildred Stahlman Division of Neonatology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy, Nashville, TN, USA.,Department of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.,RAND Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Bradley D Stein
- RAND Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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