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Jordan AE, Jette G, Graham JK, Burke C, Cunningham CO. Drug Overdose Death Following Substance Use Disorder Treatment Termination in New York City: A Retrospective Longitudinal Cohort Study. J Urban Health 2024:10.1007/s11524-024-00893-5. [PMID: 39095494 DOI: 10.1007/s11524-024-00893-5] [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] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Drug overdose death rates are the highest recorded in New York City (NYC). Substance use disorder (SUD) treatment termination can confer increased risk of drug overdose death. Our objective was to determine the probability of, and factors associated with, drug overdose death following SUD treatment termination. Using a retrospective longitudinal cohort design, we identified those who had NYC-based SUD treatment terminated (01/2016-06/2019) using Chief Medical Examiner and SUD treatment data. Using survival analyses, we examined drug overdose deaths ≤ 14 and ≤ 90 days following SUD treatment termination, respectively. Of 51,171 patients with SUD treatment termination, 140 and 342 had a drug overdose death < 14 and ≤ 90 days, respectively. The crude drug overdose death rate was 26.7 per 1000 person-years at-risk in the ≤ 90-day period and was 71.6 per 1000 person-years at-risk in the ≤ 14-day period. In adjusted Cox proportional hazard model examining death ≤ 14 days, those unemployed (compared to employed) and those terminated from residential treatment (compared to medically supervised withdrawal, opioid treatment programs, and outpatient treatment) were more likely to have had a drug overdose death (all p-values < 0.01). In adjusted Cox proportional hazard model examining death ≤ 90 days, non-Hispanic White people (compared to non-Hispanic Black people), those not stably housed (compared to stably housed), those unemployed and those terminated from residential treatment were more likely to have had a drug overdose death (all p-values < 0.01). Strategies to improve retention including the reassessment of program treatment termination criteria along with strategies to promote ongoing OUD treatment, engagement in harm reduction, and distribution of naloxone are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashly E Jordan
- New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports, New York City and Albany, NY, USA.
| | - Gail Jette
- New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports, New York City and Albany, NY, USA
| | - Jason K Graham
- New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner, New York, NY, USA
| | - Constance Burke
- New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports, New York City and Albany, NY, USA
| | - Chinazo O Cunningham
- New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports, New York City and Albany, NY, USA
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Fine DR, Hart K, Critchley N, Chang Y, Regan S, Joyce A, Tixier E, Sporn N, Gaeta J, Wright J, Kruse G, Baggett TP. Outpatient-Based Opioid Treatment Engagement and Attendance: A Prospective Cohort Study of Homeless-Experienced Adults. J Gen Intern Med 2024:10.1007/s11606-024-08916-2. [PMID: 38987479 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-024-08916-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The opioid overdose epidemic disproportionately impacts people experiencing homelessness. Outpatient-based opioid treatment (OBOT) programs have been established in homeless health care settings across the USA, but little is known about the success of these programs in engaging and retaining this highly marginalized patient population in addiction care. OBJECTIVE To evaluate predictors of initial engagement and subsequent attendance in a homeless-tailored OBOT program. DESIGN Prospective cohort study with 4 months of follow-up. PARTICIPANTS A total of 148 homeless-experienced adults (≥18 years) who newly enrolled in the Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program (BHCHP) OBOT program over a 1-year period (1/6/2022-1/5/2023). MAIN MEASURES The primary outcomes were (1) initial OBOT program engagement, defined as having ≥2 additional OBOT visits within 1 month of OBOT enrollment, and (2) subsequent OBOT program attendance, measured monthly from months 2 to 4 of follow-up. KEY RESULTS The average age was 41.7 years (SD 10.2); 23.6% were female, 35.8% were Hispanic, 12.8% were non-Hispanic Black, and 43.9% were non-Hispanic White. Over one-half (57.4%) were initially engaged. OBOT program attendances during months 2, 3, and 4 were 60.8%, 50.0%, and 41.2%, respectively. One-quarter (24.3%) were initially engaged and then attended the OBOT program every month during the follow-up period. Participants in housing or residential treatment programs (vs. unhoused; adjusted odds ratios (aORs) = 2.52; 95% CI = 1.17-5.44) and those who were already on or initiated a medication for opioid use disorder (OUD) (aOR = 6.53; 95% CI = 1.62-26.25) at the time of OBOT enrollment had higher odds of engagement. Older age (aOR = 1.74 per 10-year increment; 95% CI = 1.28-2.38) and initial engagement (aOR = 3.50; 95% CI = 1.86-6.59) conferred higher odds of attendance. CONCLUSIONS In this study, over half initially engaged with the OBOT program, with initial engagement emerging as a strong predictor of subsequent OBOT program attendance. Interventions aimed at enhancing initial OBOT program engagement, including those focused on housing and buprenorphine initiation, may improve longer-term outcomes in this marginalized population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle R Fine
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 100 Cambridge Street, 16th Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Katherine Hart
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 100 Cambridge Street, 16th Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Natalia Critchley
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 100 Cambridge Street, 16th Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Yuchiao Chang
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 100 Cambridge Street, 16th Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Susan Regan
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 100 Cambridge Street, 16th Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Andrea Joyce
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 100 Cambridge Street, 16th Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Emily Tixier
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 100 Cambridge Street, 16th Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Nora Sporn
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 100 Cambridge Street, 16th Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Jessie Gaeta
- Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, 780 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Boston University School of Medicine, 72 East Concord Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Joe Wright
- Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, 780 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Gina Kruse
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 100 Cambridge Street, 16th Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- University of Colorado School of Medicine, 12631 E 17th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Travis P Baggett
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 100 Cambridge Street, 16th Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, 780 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
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Kimmel SD, Walley AY, White LF, Yan S, Grella C, Majeski A, Stein MD, Bettano A, Bernson D, Drainoni ML, Samet JH, Larochelle MR. Medication for Opioid Use Disorder After Serious Injection-Related Infections in Massachusetts. JAMA Netw Open 2024; 7:e2421740. [PMID: 39046742 PMCID: PMC11270137 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.21740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance Serious injection-related infections (SIRIs) cause significant morbidity and mortality. Medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) improves outcomes but is underused. Understanding MOUD treatment after SIRIs could inform interventions to close this gap. Objectives To examine rehospitalization, death rates, and MOUD receipt for individuals with SIRIs and to assess characteristics associated with MOUD receipt. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective cohort study used the Massachusetts Public Health Data Warehouse, which included all individuals with a claim in the All-Payer Claims Database and is linked to individual-level data from multiple government agencies, to assess individuals aged 18 to 64 years with opioid use disorder and hospitalization for endocarditis, osteomyelitis, epidural abscess, septic arthritis, or bloodstream infection (ie, SIRI) between July 1, 2014, and December 31, 2019. Data analysis was performed from November 2021 to May 2023. Exposure Demographic and clinical factors potentially associated with posthospitalization MOUD receipt. Main Outcomes and Measures The main outcome was MOUD receipt measured weekly in the 12 months after hospitalization. We used zero-inflated negative binomial regression to examine characteristics associated with any MOUD receipt and rates of treatment in the 12 months after hospitalization. Secondary outcomes were receipt of any buprenorphine formulation, methadone, and extended-release naltrexone examined individually. Results Among 8769 individuals (mean [SD] age, 43.2 [12.0] years; 5066 [57.8%] male) who survived a SIRI hospitalization, 4305 (49.1%) received MOUD, 5919 (67.5%) were rehospitalized, and 973 (11.1%) died within 12 months. Of those treated with MOUD in the 12 months after hospitalization, the mean (SD) number of MOUD initiations during follow-up was 3.0 (1.7), with 956 of 4305 individuals (22.2%) receiving treatment at least 80% of the time. MOUD treatment after SIRI hospitalization was significantly associated with MOUD in the prior 6 months (buprenorphine: adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 16.51; 95% CI, 13.81-19.74; methadone: AOR, 28.46; 95% CI, 22.41-36.14; or naltrexone: AOR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.56-2.69). Prior buprenorphine (incident rate ratio [IRR], 1.17; 95% CI, 1.11-1.24) or methadone (IRR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.79-2.01) use was associated with higher treatment rates after hospitalization, and prior naltrexone use (IRR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.77-0.95) was associated with lower rates. Conclusions and Relevance This study found that in the year after a SIRI hospitalization in Massachusetts, mortality and rehospitalization were common, and only half of patients received MOUD. Treatment with MOUD before a SIRI was associated with posthospitalization MOUD initiation and time receiving MOUD. Efforts are needed to initiate MOUD treatment during SIRI hospitalizations and subsequently retain patients in treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simeon D. Kimmel
- Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Alexander Y. Walley
- Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Laura F. White
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Shapei Yan
- Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Christine Grella
- Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles
- Lighthouse Institute, Chestnut Health Systems, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Adam Majeski
- Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Michael D. Stein
- Department of Health, Law and Policy, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Amy Bettano
- Office of Population Health, Department of Public Health, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston
| | - Dana Bernson
- Office of Population Health, Department of Public Health, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston
| | - Mari-Lynn Drainoni
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Health, Law and Policy, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
- Evans Center for Implementation and Improvement Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jeffrey H. Samet
- Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Marc R. Larochelle
- Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
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Ramakrishnan A, Fujita AW, Mehta CC, Wilson TE, Shoptaw S, Carrico A, Adimora AA, Eaton EF, Jones DL, Chandran A, Sheth AN. Brief Report: Substance Use Care Continuum in Women With and Without HIV in the Southern United States. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2024; 95:424-430. [PMID: 38133580 PMCID: PMC10927302 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000003373] [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: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Substance use (SU) contributes to poor outcomes among persons living with HIV. Women living with HIV (WWH) in the United States are disproportionately affected in the South, and examining SU patterns, treatment, and HIV outcomes in this population is integral to addressing HIV and SU disparities. METHODS WWH and comparable women without HIV (WWOH) who enrolled 2013-2015 in the Women's Interagency HIV Study Southern sites (Atlanta, Birmingham/Jackson, Chapel Hill, and Miami) and reported SU (self-reported nonmedical use of drugs) in the past year were included. SU and treatment were described annually from enrollment to the end of follow-up. HIV outcomes were compared by SU treatment engagement. RESULTS At enrollment, among 840 women (608 WWH, 232 WWOH), 18% (n = 155) reported SU in the past year (16% WWH, 24% WWOH); 25% (n = 38) of whom reported SU treatment. Over time, 30%, 21%, and 18% reported SU treatment at 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively, which did not significantly differ by HIV status. Retention in HIV care did not differ by SU treatment. Viral suppression was significantly higher in women who reported SU treatment only at enrollment ( P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS We identified a substantial gap in SU treatment engagement, with only a quarter reporting treatment utilization, which persisted over time. SU treatment engagement was associated with viral suppression at enrollment but not at other time points or with retention in HIV care. These findings can identify gaps and guide future strategies for integrating HIV and SU care for WWH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditi Ramakrishnan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Ayako W. Fujita
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - C. Christina Mehta
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Tracey E. Wilson
- Department of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, State University of New York Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY
| | - Steve Shoptaw
- Department of Family Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Adam Carrico
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL
| | - Adaora A. Adimora
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Ellen F. Eaton
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL
| | - Deborah L. Jones
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL; and
| | - Aruna Chandran
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Anandi N. Sheth
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
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Ezell JM, Pho MT, Simek E, Ajayi BP, Shetty N, Walters SM. How do people who use opioids express their qualities and capacities? An assessment of attitudes, behaviors, and opportunities. Harm Reduct J 2024; 21:79. [PMID: 38589920 PMCID: PMC11000313 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-024-00981-4] [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: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
People who nonmedically use drugs (PWUD) face intricate social issues that suppress self-actualization, communal integration, and overall health and wellness. "Strengths-based" approaches, an under-used pedagogy and practice in addiction medicine, underscore the significance of identifying and recognizing the inherent and acquired skills, attributes, and capacities of PWUD. A strengths-based approach engenders client affirmation and improves their capacity to reduce drug use-related harms by leveraging existing capabilities. Exploring this paradigm, we conducted and analyzed interviews with 46 PWUD who were clients at syringe services programs in New York City and rural southern Illinois, two areas with elevated rates of opioid-related morbidity and mortality, to assess respondents' perceived strengths. We located two primary thematic modalities in which strengths-based ethos is expressed: individuals (1) being and advocate and resource for harm reduction knowledge and practices and (2) engaging in acts of continuous self-actualization. These dynamics demonstrate PWUD strengths populating and manifesting in complex ways that both affirm and challenge humanist and biomedical notions of individual agency, as PWUD refract enacted, anticipated, and perceived stigmas. In conclusion, programs that blend evidence-based, systems-level interventions on drug use stigma and disenfranchisement with meso and micro-level strengths-based interventions that affirm and leverage personal identity, decision-making capacity, and endemic knowledge may help disrupt health promotion cleavages among PWUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerel M Ezell
- Community Health Sciences, Berkeley Center for Cultural Humility, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
- Berkeley Center for Cultural Humility, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | - Mai T Pho
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases and Global Health, University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Elinor Simek
- Community Health Sciences, Berkeley Center for Cultural Humility, School of Public Health, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Berkeley Center for Cultural Humility, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | | | - Netra Shetty
- Biology and Society, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Suzan M Walters
- Department of Population Health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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Fine DR, Critchley N, Hart K, Joyce A, Sporn N, Gaeta J, Wright J, Baggett TP, Kruse G. "I'm on the Right Path": Exploring 1-Month Retention in a Homeless-Tailored Outpatient-Based Opioid Treatment Program. SUBSTANCE USE & ADDICTION JOURNAL 2024; 45:268-277. [PMID: 38258838 PMCID: PMC11369761 DOI: 10.1177/29767342231218529] [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: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Homeless-tailored office-based opioid treatment (OBOT) programs have been developed to address the ongoing opioid overdose crisis, which disproportionately affects people experiencing homelessness. The objective of this study was to evaluate the facilitators of and barriers to retention in a homeless-tailored OBOT program. METHODS We performed in-depth qualitative interviews with 24 homeless-experienced adults who newly enrolled in Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program's OBOT program from January 6, 2022 through January 5, 2023. We purposively sampled participants based on whether they were retained at 1 month (n = 12) or not (n = 12). We used an abductive analytic process, applying codes to the interview transcripts from an a priori analytic framework based on the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations and supplementing with emergent codes as needed. We compared themes by participants' 1-month retention status to explore facilitators of and barriers to retention in OBOT care. RESULTS The average age was 41.9 years, 29.2% were female, 20.8% were Black, 58.3% were White, and 33.0% were Hispanic. Facilitators of retention common to many participants included the clinic experience, low-threshold model, clinic staff, and provision of comprehensive care. Among participants who were retained at 1-month, personal motivation, use of extended-release buprenorphine, and adequate buprenorphine efficacy were additional facilitators. Barriers to retention common to many participants included the clinic's surrounding environment, competing subsistence difficulties, and transportation difficulty. Among participants who were not retained at 1-month, opioid use severity, drug use in social networks, and inadequate buprenorphine efficacy represented additional barriers. CONCLUSIONS We identified several common determinants of OBOT retention among our homeless-experienced participants as well as some facilitators and barriers that differed by 1-month retention status. These divergent factors represent potential points of intervention to promote retention in homeless-tailored OBOT programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle R. Fine
- Massachusetts General Hospital, 100 Cambridge Street, 16 Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Natalia Critchley
- Massachusetts General Hospital, 100 Cambridge Street, 16 Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Katherine Hart
- Massachusetts General Hospital, 100 Cambridge Street, 16 Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Andrea Joyce
- Massachusetts General Hospital, 100 Cambridge Street, 16 Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Nora Sporn
- Massachusetts General Hospital, 100 Cambridge Street, 16 Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Jessie Gaeta
- Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, 780 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Boston University School of Medicine, 72 East Concord Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Joe Wright
- Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, 780 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Travis P. Baggett
- Massachusetts General Hospital, 100 Cambridge Street, 16 Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, 780 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Gina Kruse
- University of Colorado School of Medicine, 12631 E 17 Avenue, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
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Hayes BT, Li P, Nienaltow T, Torres-Lockhart K, Khalid L, Fox AD. Low-dose buprenorphine initiation and treatment continuation among hospitalized patients with opioid dependence: A retrospective cohort study. JOURNAL OF SUBSTANCE USE AND ADDICTION TREATMENT 2024; 158:209261. [PMID: 38103838 PMCID: PMC10947892 DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2023.209261] [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: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Buprenorphine is an effective treatment for both opioid use disorder (OUD) and chronic pain, but buprenorphine's pharmacology complicates treatment initiation for some patients. Low-dose buprenorphine initiation is a novel strategy that may reduce precipitated withdrawal. Few studies describe what patient populations benefit most from low-dose initiations and the clinical parameters that impact treatment continuation. This study aimed to 1) describe experiences with low-dose buprenorphine initiation, including both successes and failures among hospitalized patients in an urban underserved community; 2) identify patient- and treatment-related characteristics associated with unsuccessful initiation and treatment discontinuation; and 3) assess buprenorphine treatment continuation after discharge. METHODS This is a retrospective cohort study with opioid-dependent (meaning OUD or receiving long-term opioid therapy for chronic pain) patients who underwent low-dose buprenorphine initiation during hospital admission from October 2021 through April 2022. The primary outcome was successful completion of low-dose initiation. Bivariate analysis identified patient- and treatment-related factors associated with unsuccessful initiation. Secondary outcomes were buprenorphine treatment discontinuation at post-discharge follow-up, 30- and 90-days. RESULTS Of 28 patients who underwent low-dose buprenorphine initiation, 68 % successfully completed initiation. Unsuccessful initiation was associated with receipt of methadone during admission and higher morphine milligram equivalents (MME) of supplemental opioids. Of 22 patients with OUD, the percent receiving a buprenorphine prescription at a follow-up visit, 30 days, and 90 days, respectively, was 46 %, 36 %, and 36 %. Of 6 patients with chronic pain, the percent receiving a buprenorphine prescription at a follow-up visit, 30 days, and 90 days, respectively, was 100 %, 100 %, and 83 %. CONCLUSION Low-dose buprenorphine initiation can be successful in opioid-dependent hospitalized patients. Patients taking methadone or requiring higher MME of supplemental opioids may have more difficulty with the low-dose buprenorphine initiation approach, but these findings should be replicated in larger studies. This study suggests patient- and treatment-related factors that clinicians could consider when determining the optimal treatment strategy for patients wishing to transition to buprenorphine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Phoebe Li
- Montefiore Medical Center, United States of America
| | | | | | - Laila Khalid
- Montefiore Medical Center, United States of America
| | - Aaron D Fox
- Montefiore Medical Center, United States of America
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Bradford WD, Lozano-Rojas F. Higher Rates Of Homelessness Are Associated With Increases In Mortality From Accidental Drug And Alcohol Poisonings. Health Aff (Millwood) 2024; 43:242-249. [PMID: 38315926 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2023.00951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Alcohol and drug overdoses have multiple complex causes. In this article we contribute to the literature that links homelessness, the most extreme form of housing disruption, to accidental SUD-related poisonings. Using plausibly exogenous variation from a state's landlord-tenant policies that influence evictions, we estimated the causal impact of homelessness on SUD-related mortality. We found large effects of homelessness on SUD-related poisonings (for example, a 10 percent increase in homelessness led to a 3.2 percent increase in opioid poisonings in metropolitan areas). Our findings indicate that reducing local homelessness rates from the seventy-fifth to the fiftieth percentile levels could have saved more than 1,900 lives from opioid overdoses across all metropolitan localities in the final year of our study data. We conclude that strengthening the social safety net in terms of housing security could help curb the ongoing SUD-related poisoning epidemic in the US.
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Error in Table 2. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2345320. [PMID: 37943563 PMCID: PMC10636633 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.45320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
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Taylor SN, Munson D. Health Care of People Experiencing Homelessness: Part II. NEJM EVIDENCE 2023; 2:EVIDra2300175. [PMID: 38320194 DOI: 10.1056/evidra2300175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Health Care of People Experiencing HomelessnessIn this second part of a two-part review of health care for people experiencing homelessness, Taylor and Munson discuss approaches to care that are tailored to this population.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David Munson
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
- Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, Boston
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Paradise RK, Desmarais J, O'Malley SE, Hoyos-Cespedes A, Nurani A, Walley AY, Clarke J, Taylor S, Dooley D, Bazzi AR, Kimmel SD. Perspectives and recommendations of opioid overdose survivors experiencing unsheltered homelessness on housing, overdose, and substance use treatment in Boston, MA. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2023; 119:104127. [PMID: 37523844 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Opioid overdose causes one in four deaths among people experiencing homelessness in Boston, MA. To reduce overdose risks, the experience and perspectives of people experiencing homelessness should be incorporated into housing, overdose prevention, and substance use treatment efforts. METHODS In 2021, we conducted qualitative interviews with 59 opioid overdose survivors to inform equitable access to treatment services. In response to policy debate surrounding a public drug scene near a key recruitment site, we conducted a targeted thematic analysis of transcribed interview data from a subset of participants experiencing unsheltered homelessness (n=29) to explore their perspectives and recommendations on housing, overdose prevention, and substance use treatment. RESULTS Among 29 participants who identified as non-Hispanic Black (n=10), Hispanic/Latinx (n=10), or as non-Hispanic White (n=9), the median number of self-reported opioid overdoses in the past three months was 2.0 (SD 3.7). Three themes emerged from this targeted analysis: (1) Participants described inadequate housing resources and unwelcoming shelter environments. (2) Participants near a large public drug scene explained how unsheltered homelessness was chaotic, dangerous, and disruptive to recovery goals. (3) Participants provided recommendations for improving housing and addiction treatment systems and including their perspectives in the development of solutions to the intersecting housing and opioid overdose crises. CONCLUSIONS The overdose prevention, housing and substance use treatment systems must address the needs of opioid overdose survivors experiencing unsheltered homelessness. Overdose survivors experiencing unsheltered homelessness described a chaotic public drug scene but resorted to residing in nearby encampments because the existing shelter, housing, and addiction treatment systems were unwelcoming, difficult to navigate, or unaffordable. Despite efforts to provide low-threshold housing in Boston, additional low-barrier housing services (i.e., including harm reduction resources and without "sobriety" requirements) could promote the health and safety of people who use drugs and are experiencing homelessness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranjani K Paradise
- Institute for Community Health, 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148, United States; Tufts University School of Medicine, 145 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, United States
| | - Jeffrey Desmarais
- Institute for Community Health, 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148, United States
| | - Shannon E O'Malley
- Boston Public Health Commission, 1010 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02118, United States
| | | | - Alykhan Nurani
- Boston Medical Center, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, 2(nd) Floor Crosstown Building, Boston MA 02118, United States
| | - Alexander Y Walley
- Boston Medical Center, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, 2(nd) Floor Crosstown Building, Boston MA 02118, United States; Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, 2nd Floor Crosstown Building, Boston, MA 02118, United States
| | - Jaylen Clarke
- Boston Public Health Commission, 1010 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02118, United States
| | - Sunday Taylor
- Boston Public Health Commission, 1010 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02118, United States
| | - Daniel Dooley
- Boston Public Health Commission, 1010 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02118, United States
| | - Angela R Bazzi
- University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States; Boston University School of Public Health, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, 4(th) Floor Crosstown Building, Boston, MA 02118, United States
| | - Simeon D Kimmel
- Boston Medical Center, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, 2(nd) Floor Crosstown Building, Boston MA 02118, United States; Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, 2nd Floor Crosstown Building, Boston, MA 02118, United States.
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Fine DR, Dickins KA, Adams LD, Horick NK, Critchley N, Hart K, Gaeta JM, Lewis E, Looby SE, Baggett TP. Mortality by Age, Gender, and Race and Ethnicity in People Experiencing Homelessness in Boston, Massachusetts. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2331004. [PMID: 37651141 PMCID: PMC10472188 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.31004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance People experiencing homelessness (PEH) face disproportionately high mortality rates compared with the general population, but few studies have examined mortality in this population by age, gender, and race and ethnicity. Objective To evaluate all-cause and cause-specific mortality in a large cohort of PEH by age, gender, and race and ethnicity. Design, Setting, and Participants An observational cohort study was conducted from January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2018. All analyses were performed between March 16, 2021, and May 12, 2022. A cohort of adults (age ≥18 years) seen at the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP), a large federally funded Health Care for the Homeless organization in Boston, Massachusetts, from January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2017, was linked to Massachusetts death occurrence files spanning January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2018. Main Outcomes and Measures Age-, gender-, and race and ethnicity-stratified all-cause and cause-specific mortality rates were examined and compared with rates in the urban Northeast US population using mortality rate ratios (RRs). Results Among the 60 092 adults included in the cohort with a median follow-up of 8.6 (IQR, 5.1-12.5) years, 7130 deaths occurred. The mean (SD) age at death was 53.7 (13.1) years; 77.5% of decedents were men, 21.0% Black, 10.0% Hispanic/Latinx, and 61.5% White. The all-cause mortality rate was 1639.7 deaths per 100 000 person-years among men and 830 deaths per 100 000 person-years among women. The all-cause mortality rate was highest among White men aged 65 to 79 years (4245.4 deaths per 100 000 person-years). Drug overdose was a leading cause of death across age, gender, and race and ethnicity groups, while suicide uniquely affected young PEH and HIV infection and homicide uniquely affected Black and Hispanic/Latinx PEH. Conclusions and Relevance In this large cohort study of PEH, all-cause and cause-specific mortality varied by age, gender, and race and ethnicity. Tailored interventions focusing on those at elevated risk for certain causes of death are essential for reducing mortality disparities across homeless-experienced groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle R. Fine
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kirsten A. Dickins
- Community, Systems and Mental Health Nursing Department, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
- Yvonne L. Munn Center for Nursing Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Logan D. Adams
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Nora K. Horick
- Biostatistics Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Natalia Critchley
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Katherine Hart
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Jessie M. Gaeta
- The Institute for Research, Quality, and Policy in Homeless Health Care, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, Boston, Massachusetts
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Elizabeth Lewis
- The Institute for Research, Quality, and Policy in Homeless Health Care, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, Boston, Massachusetts
- Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sara E. Looby
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Yvonne L. Munn Center for Nursing Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
- Metabolism Unit, Endocrinology Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Travis P. Baggett
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- The Institute for Research, Quality, and Policy in Homeless Health Care, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, Boston, Massachusetts
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Pepin MD, Joseph JK, Chapman BP, McAuliffe C, O’Donnell LK, Marano RL, Carreiro SP, Garcia EJ, Silk H, Babu KM. A mobile addiction service for community-based overdose prevention. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1154813. [PMID: 37538275 PMCID: PMC10394629 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1154813] [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: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Mainstays of opioid overdose prevention include medications for opioid use disorder (e.g., methadone or buprenorphine) and naloxone distribution. Inadequate access to buprenorphine limits its uptake, especially in communities of color, and people with opioid use disorders encounter multiple barriers to obtaining necessary medications including insurance, transportation, and consistent availability of telephones. UMass Memorial Medical Center and our community partners sought to alleviate these barriers to treatment through the deployment of a mobile addiction service, called the Road to Care. Using this approach, multidisciplinary and interprofessional providers deliver holistic addiction care by centering our patients' needs with respect to scheduling, location, and convenience. This program also extends access to buprenorphine and naloxone among people experiencing homelessness. Additional systemic and individualized barriers encountered are identified, as well as potential solutions for future mobile addiction service utilization. Over a two-year period, we have cared for 1,121 individuals who have accessed our mobile addiction service in over 4,567 encounters. We prescribed buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone®) to 330 individuals (29.4% of all patients). We have distributed nearly 250 naloxone kits directly on-site or and more than 300 kits via prescriptions to local pharmacies. To date, 74 naloxone rescue attempts have been reported back to us. We have demonstrated that a community-based mobile addiction service, anchored within a major medical center, can provide high-volume and high-quality overdose prevention services that facilitate engagement with additional treatment. Our experience is described as a case study below.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael D. Pepin
- UMass Memorial Health, Worcester, MA, United States
- Department of Emergency Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Jillian K. Joseph
- UMass Memorial Health, Worcester, MA, United States
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Brittany P. Chapman
- UMass Memorial Health, Worcester, MA, United States
- Department of Emergency Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Christina McAuliffe
- UMass Memorial Health, Worcester, MA, United States
- Department of Emergency Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | | | - Ryan L. Marano
- UMass Memorial Health, Worcester, MA, United States
- Department of Emergency Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Stephanie P. Carreiro
- UMass Memorial Health, Worcester, MA, United States
- Department of Emergency Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Erik J. Garcia
- UMass Memorial Health, Worcester, MA, United States
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Hugh Silk
- UMass Memorial Health, Worcester, MA, United States
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Kavita M. Babu
- UMass Memorial Health, Worcester, MA, United States
- Department of Emergency Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
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Tschampl CA, Regis C, Johnson NE, Davis MT, Hodgkin D, Brolin MF, Do E, Horgan CM, Green TC, Reilly B, Duska M, Taveras EM. Protocol for the implementation of a statewide mobile addiction program. J Comp Eff Res 2023; 12:e220117. [PMID: 36988165 PMCID: PMC10402748 DOI: 10.57264/cer-2022-0117] [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: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
With overdose deaths increasing, improving access to harm reduction and low barrier substance use disorder treatment is more important than ever. The Community Care in Reach® model uses a mobile unit to bring both harm reduction and clinical care for addiction to people experiencing barriers to office-based care. These mobile units provide many resources and services to people who use drugs, including safer consumption supplies, naloxone, medication for substance use disorder treatment, and a wide range of primary and preventative care. This protocol outlines the evaluation plan for the Community in Care® model in MA, USA. Using the RE-AIM framework, this evaluation will assess how mobile services engage new and underserved communities in addiction services and primary and preventative care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia A Tschampl
- Institute on Healthcare Systems, Heller School for Social Policy & Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Craig Regis
- Kraft Center for Community Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Nafissa E Johnson
- Kraft Center for Community Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Margot Trotter Davis
- Institute for Behavioral Health, Heller School for Social Policy & Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Dominic Hodgkin
- Institute for Behavioral Health, Heller School for Social Policy & Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Mary F Brolin
- Institute for Behavioral Health, Heller School for Social Policy & Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Elizabeth Do
- Kraft Center for Community Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Constance M Horgan
- Institute for Behavioral Health, Heller School for Social Policy & Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Traci C Green
- Institute for Behavioral Health, Heller School for Social Policy & Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Brittni Reilly
- Bureau of Substance Addiction Services, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, MA 02108, USA
| | - MaryKate Duska
- Bureau of Substance Addiction Services, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, MA 02108, USA
| | - Elsie M Taveras
- Kraft Center for Community Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Mass General Brigham, Somerville, MA 02145, USA
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Qian G, Rao I, Humphreys K, Owens DK, Brandeau ML. Cost-effectiveness of office-based buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder. Drug Alcohol Depend 2023; 243:109762. [PMID: 36621198 PMCID: PMC9852082 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
AIM To assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of office-based buprenorphine treatment (OBBT) in the U.S. DESIGN SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS We performed a model-based analysis of buprenorphine treatment provided in a primary care setting for the U.S. population with OUD. INTERVENTION Buprenorphine treatment provided in a primary care setting. MEASUREMENTS Fatal and nonfatal overdoses and deaths over five years, discounted lifetime quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), costs. FINDINGS For a cohort of 100,000 untreated individuals who enter OBBT, approximately 9350 overdoses would be averted over five years; of these, approximately 900 would have been fatal. OBBT compared to no treatment would yield 1.07 incremental lifetime QALYs per person at an incremental cost of $17,000 per QALY gained when using a healthcare perspective. If OBBT is half as effective and twice as expensive as assumed in the base case, the incremental cost when using a healthcare perspective is $25,500 per QALY gained. Using a limited societal perspective that additionally includes patient costs and criminal justice costs, OBBT is cost-saving compared to no treatment even under pessimistic assumptions about efficacy and cost. CONCLUSIONS Expansion of OBBT would be highly cost-effective compared to no treatment when considered from a healthcare perspective, and cost-saving when reduced criminal justice costs are included. Given the continuing opioid crisis in the U.S., expansion of this care option should be a high priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary Qian
- Department of Management Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Isabelle Rao
- Department of Management Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Keith Humphreys
- Center for Innovation to Implementation, US Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Douglas K Owens
- Department of Health Policy, School of Medicine, and Stanford Health Policy, Freeman-Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Margaret L Brandeau
- Department of Management Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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16
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Jakubowski A, Rath C, Harocopos A, Wright M, Welch A, Kattan J, Navos Behrends C, Lopez-Castro T, Fox AD. Implementation of buprenorphine services in NYC syringe services programs: a qualitative process evaluation. Harm Reduct J 2022; 19:75. [PMID: 35818071 PMCID: PMC9275037 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-022-00654-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Syringe services programs (SSPs) hold promise for providing buprenorphine treatment access to people with opioid use disorder (OUD) who are reluctant to seek care elsewhere. In 2017, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) provided funding and technical assistance to nine SSPs to develop "low-threshold" buprenorphine services as part of a multipronged initiative to lower opioid-related overdose rates. The aim of this study was to identify barriers to and facilitators of implementing SSP-based buprenorphine services. METHODS We conducted 26 semi-structured qualitative interviews from April 2019 to November 2019 at eight SSPs in NYC that received funding and technical assistance from DOHMH. Interviews were conducted with three categories of staff: leadership (i.e., buprenorphine program management or leadership, eight interviews), staff (i.e., buprenorphine coordinators or other staff, eleven interviews), and buprenorphine providers (six interviews). We identified themes related to barriers and facilitators to program implementation using thematic analysis. We make recommendations for implementation based on our findings. RESULTS Programs differed in their stage of development, location of services provided, and provider type, availability, and practices. Barriers to providing buprenorphine services at SSPs included gaps in staff knowledge and comfort communicating with participants about buprenorphine, difficulty hiring buprenorphine providers, managing tension between harm reduction and traditional OUD treatment philosophies, and financial constraints. Challenges also arose from serving a population with unmet psychosocial needs. Implementation facilitators included technical assistance from DOHMH, designated buprenorphine coordinators, offering other supportive services to participants, and telehealth to bridge gaps in provider availability. Key recommendations include: (1) health departments should provide support for SSPs in training staff, building health service infrastructure and developing policies and procedures, (2) SSPs should designate a buprenorphine coordinator and ensure regular training on buprenorphine for frontline staff, and (3) buprenorphine providers should be selected or supported to use a harm reduction approach to buprenorphine treatment. CONCLUSIONS Despite encountering challenges, SSPs implemented buprenorphine services outside of conventional OUD treatment settings. Our findings have implications for health departments, SSPs, and other community organizations implementing buprenorphine services. Expansion of low-threshold buprenorphine services is a promising strategy to address the opioid overdose epidemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Jakubowski
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, 3300 Kossuth Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10467, USA.
| | - Caroline Rath
- Bureau of Alcohol, Drug Use, Care, Prevention and Treatment, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 42-09 28th Street Queens, Long Island City, NY, 11101, USA
| | - Alex Harocopos
- Bureau of Alcohol, Drug Use, Care, Prevention and Treatment, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 42-09 28th Street Queens, Long Island City, NY, 11101, USA
| | - Monique Wright
- Bureau of Alcohol, Drug Use, Care, Prevention and Treatment, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 42-09 28th Street Queens, Long Island City, NY, 11101, USA
| | - Alice Welch
- Bureau of Alcohol, Drug Use, Care, Prevention and Treatment, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 42-09 28th Street Queens, Long Island City, NY, 11101, USA
| | - Jessica Kattan
- Bureau of Alcohol, Drug Use, Care, Prevention and Treatment, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 42-09 28th Street Queens, Long Island City, NY, 11101, USA
| | - Czarina Navos Behrends
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medical College, 402 E. 67th St, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Teresa Lopez-Castro
- Department of Psychology, The City College of New York, 160 Convent Avenue, New York, NY, 10031, USA
| | - Aaron D Fox
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, 3300 Kossuth Avenue, Bronx, NY, 10467, USA
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17
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Liu M, Richard L, Campitelli MA, Nisenbaum R, Dosani N, Dhalla IA, Wadhera RK, Shariff SZ, Hwang SW. Drug Overdoses During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Recently Homeless Individuals. Addiction 2022; 117:1692-1701. [PMID: 35129239 PMCID: PMC9111216 DOI: 10.1111/add.15823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To examine how weekly rates of emergency department (ED) visits for drug overdoses changed among individuals with a recent history of homelessness (IRHH) and their housed counterparts during the pre-pandemic, peak, and re-opening periods of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, using corresponding weeks in 2019 as a historical control. DESIGN Population-based retrospective cohort study conducted between September 30, 2018 and September 26, 2020. SETTING Ontario, Canada. PARTICIPANTS A total of 38 617 IRHH, 15 022 369 housed individuals, and 186 858 low-income housed individuals matched on age, sex, rurality, and comorbidity burden. MEASUREMENTS ED visits for drug overdoses of accidental and undetermined intent. FINDINGS Average rates of ED visits for drug overdoses between January and September 2020 were higher among IRHH compared with housed individuals (rate ratio [RR], 148.0; 95% CI, 142.7-153.5) and matched housed individuals (RR, 22.3; 95% CI, 20.7-24.0). ED visits for drug overdoses decreased across all groups by ~20% during the peak period (March 17 to June 16, 2020) compared with corresponding weeks in 2019. During the re-opening period (June 17 to September 26, 2020), rates of ED visits for drug overdoses were significantly higher among IRHH (RR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.44-1.69), matched housed individuals (RR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.08-1.46), and housed individuals relative to equivalent weeks in 2019 (RR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.02-1.11). The relative increase in drug overdose ED visits among IRHH was larger compared with both matched housed individuals (P = 0.01 for interaction between group and year) and housed individuals (P < 0.001) during this period. CONCLUSIONS Recently homeless individuals in Ontario, Canada experienced disproportionate increases in ED visits for drug overdoses during the re-opening period of the COVID-19 pandemic compared with housed people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Liu
- Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMAUSA
- MAP Centre for Urban Health SolutionsLi Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's HospitalTorontoCanada
- ICES CentralTorontoCanada
| | | | | | - Rosane Nisenbaum
- MAP Centre for Urban Health SolutionsLi Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's HospitalTorontoCanada
- Division of Biostatistics, Dalla Lana School of Public HealthUniversity of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Naheed Dosani
- Division of Palliative CareMcMaster UniversityHamiltonCanada
| | - Irfan A. Dhalla
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public HealthUniversity of TorontoTorontoCanada
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of MedicineUniversity of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Rishi K. Wadhera
- Richard A. and Susan F. Smith Center for Outcomes ResearchBeth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterBostonMAUSA
| | | | - Stephen W. Hwang
- MAP Centre for Urban Health SolutionsLi Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's HospitalTorontoCanada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public HealthUniversity of TorontoTorontoCanada
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of MedicineUniversity of TorontoTorontoCanada
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Breve F, Batastini L, LeQuang JAK, Marchando G. Mobile Narcotic Treatment Programs: On the Road Again? Cureus 2022; 14:e23221. [PMID: 35449647 PMCID: PMC9012571 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.23221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Many Americans with opioid use disorder (OUD), do not have access to treatment. Mobile narcotic treatment programs are now under new regulations that may make treatment more accessible to more people. These mobile programs can help expand the reach of opioid agonist treatment for OUD, help reduce human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) and hepatitis C in the OUD population, and have retention rates that are often better than those at fixed-site clinics. Mobile services can also help reach marginalized individuals, the homeless, rural communities, and other underserved communities. They may offer methadone or buprenorphine treatment. Such mobile services have been used inside and outside the United States with promising results. In particular, mobile programs can make treatment available to people who do not have insurance, who lack reliable transportation, live in chaotic situations, or may be undomiciled. The potential pairing of mobile programs together with technology, such as smartphone apps or online resources, may allow mobile patients to benefit from counseling as well. Mobile clinics must be attached to a fixed-site narcotic treatment program and may have limitations with respect to the geographic area served. Mobile programs must have policies and procedures to store, transport, deliver, account for, reconcile, and dispose of opioid waste and would be subject to audit. Mobile opioid agonist therapy is an important and innovative service of particular value to underserved communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Breve
- Department of Pharmacy, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Lisa Batastini
- Legal Department, Mid Atlantic PharmaTech Consultants, LLC, Ventnor City, USA
| | | | - Gina Marchando
- Trauma Department, Summit Behavioral Health Center, Seabrook, USA
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Fine DR, Dickins KA, Adams LD, De Las Nueces D, Weinstock K, Wright J, Gaeta JM, Baggett TP. Drug Overdose Mortality Among People Experiencing Homelessness, 2003 to 2018. JAMA Netw Open 2022; 5:e2142676. [PMID: 34994792 PMCID: PMC8742197 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.42676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Importance Despite high rates of drug overdose death among people experiencing homelessness, patterns in drug overdose mortality, including the types of drugs implicated in overdose deaths, remain understudied in this population. Objective To describe the patterns in drug overdose mortality among a large cohort of people experiencing homelessness in Boston vs the general adult population of Massachusetts and to evaluate the types of drugs implicated in overdose deaths over a continuous 16-year period of observation. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study analyzed adults aged 18 years or older who received care at Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP) between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2017. Individuals were followed up from the date of their initial BHCHP encounter during the study period until the date of death or December 31, 2018. Data were analyzed from December 1, 2020, to June 6, 2021. Main Outcomes and Measures Drug overdose deaths and the types of drugs involved in each overdose death were ascertained by linking the BHCHP cohort to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health death records. Results In this cohort of 60 092 adults experiencing homelessness (mean [SD] age at entry, 40.4 [13.1] years; 38 084 men [63.4%]), 7130 individuals died by the end of the study period. A total of 1727 individuals (24.2%) died of a drug overdose. Of the drug overdose decedents, 456 were female (26.4%), 194 were Black (11.2%), 202 were Latinx (11.7%), and 1185 were White (68.6%) individuals, and the mean (SD) age at death was 43.7 (10.8) years. The age- and sex-standardized drug overdose mortality rate in the BHCHP cohort was 278.9 (95% CI, 266.1-292.3) deaths per 100 000 person-years, which was 12 times higher than the Massachusetts adult population. Opioids were involved in 91.0% of all drug overdose deaths. Between 2013 and 2018, the synthetic opioid mortality rate increased from 21.6 to 327.0 deaths per 100 000 person-years. Between 2004 and 2018, the opioid-only overdose mortality rate decreased from 117.2 to 102.4 deaths per 100 000 person-years, whereas the opioid-involved polysubstance mortality rate increased from 44.0 to 237.8 deaths per 100 000 person-years. Among opioid-involved polysubstance overdose deaths, cocaine-plus-opioid was the most common substance combination implicated throughout the study period, with Black individuals having the highest proportion of cocaine-plus-opioid involvement in death (0.72 vs 0.62 in Latinx and 0.53 in White individuals; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study of people experiencing homelessness, drug overdose accounted for 1 in 4 deaths, with synthetic opioid and polysubstance involvement becoming predominant contributors to mortality in recent years. These findings emphasize the importance of increasing access to evidence-based opioid overdose prevention strategies and opioid use disorder treatment among people experiencing homelessness, while highlighting the need to address both intentional and unintentional polysubstance use in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle R. Fine
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kirsten A. Dickins
- Munn Center for Nursing Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
| | - Logan D. Adams
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Denise De Las Nueces
- Institute for Research, Quality, and Policy in Homeless Health Care, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, Boston, Massachusetts
- Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Joseph Wright
- Institute for Research, Quality, and Policy in Homeless Health Care, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jessie M. Gaeta
- Institute for Research, Quality, and Policy in Homeless Health Care, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, Boston, Massachusetts
- Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Travis P. Baggett
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Institute for Research, Quality, and Policy in Homeless Health Care, Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, Boston, Massachusetts
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Error in Abstract and Methods. JAMA Netw Open 2021; 4:e2128112. [PMID: 34448872 PMCID: PMC8397924 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.28112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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