Key inequities in addiction care could be managed by correcting shortcomings uncovered in a recent qualitative study. The study was published in Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, and was conducted by researchers at Boston University and Boston Medical Center. It was drawn from a parent study, REpeated dose Behavioral intervention to reduce Opioid Overdose … [Read more...] about “No Home to Take Methadone to”: Study Reveals Inequities in Addiction Care
STUDY: OUD Disclosure Can Be Helpful, or Devastating; Study Participants Offer Advice
Stigma—negative beliefs and misperceptions, based on misinformation or lack of information—has long plagued people with opioid use disorders (OUDs), whether they’re in treatment or not. A new study in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment highlights two troubling aspects of stigma: the reactions of others when people disclose their OUD history or current treatment, and the … [Read more...] about STUDY: OUD Disclosure Can Be Helpful, or Devastating; Study Participants Offer Advice
REVIEW ARTICLE: How Long Should OAT Last? A Month? A Year? Or…Forever?
The review article summarized here delves into a timely question: How long should treatment for opioid addiction last? The authors, Anjali Dhanda, MD, and Edwin Salsitz, MD, look at best practices for treatment duration, discuss factors affecting the ideal length of treatment, and cover some of the many barriers to treatment—barriers that lead many people to either avoid … [Read more...] about REVIEW ARTICLE: How Long Should OAT Last? A Month? A Year? Or…Forever?
STUDY: Do Health Care Costs and Service Usage Increase When Prisoners Are Treated for OUD, Then Released?
With the risk of fatal overdose at least ten times higher in released prisoners than in the general population, there’s a clear need for treating opioid use disorder (OUD) during incarceration. Most of the more than 2 million Americans with OUD have contact at some point with the criminal justice system, so incarceration provides a good opportunity to start treatment. Yet … [Read more...] about STUDY: Do Health Care Costs and Service Usage Increase When Prisoners Are Treated for OUD, Then Released?
STUDY: “Is MAT Cost Effective?” Answer: A Resounding “Yes!”
We’ve long known that opioid use disorder (OUD) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, and that far too many people lack access to the effective therapy that medication-assisted treatment (MAT) can provide. Now an important new study published July 2021 in JAMA Psychiatry tells us much more about MAT, describing its cost-saving benefits and improved … [Read more...] about STUDY: “Is MAT Cost Effective?” Answer: A Resounding “Yes!”