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Margerison CE, Wang X, Goldman-Mellor S, Muzik M, Gemmill A. Changes in Racial and Ethnic Inequities in Pregnancy-Associated Death in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Am J Public Health 2024; 114:733-742. [PMID: 38754064 PMCID: PMC11153959 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2024.307651] [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: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Objectives. To examine changes in cause-specific pregnancy-associated deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic by race and ethnicity and assess changes in racial and ethnic inequities in pregnancy-associated deaths. Methods. We used US vital statistics mortality data from 2018 to 2021 to identify pregnancy-associated deaths among females aged 15 to 44 years. We calculated crude pregnancy-associated death rates (deaths per 100 000 live births) by year, cause, and race/ethnicity, percent change in death rate, and the inequity (difference) in rate for each racial or ethnic group compared with non-Hispanic White people. Results. The pregnancy-associated death rate for obstetric, drug-related, homicide, and other causes of death increased during 2020, and obstetric deaths continued to increase in 2021. Overall estimates mask 2021 increases in drug-related deaths among Hispanic, non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN), and non-Hispanic Asian people; increases in homicide among most racial and ethnic groups; and increases in suicide among Hispanic, non-Hispanic AI/AN, and non-Hispanic Asian people. Conclusions. We found disproportionate increases in pregnancy-associated deaths from nonobstetric causes among minoritized racial and ethnic groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(7):733-742. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307651).
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire E Margerison
- Claire E. Margerison is with the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing. Xueshi Wang is with the Department of Economics, College of Social Science, Michigan State University. Sidra Goldman-Mellor is with the Department of Public Health, School of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts, University of California, Merced. Maria Muzik is with the Departments of Psychiatry and Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Michigan‒Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor. Alison Gemmill is with the Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Xueshi Wang
- Claire E. Margerison is with the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing. Xueshi Wang is with the Department of Economics, College of Social Science, Michigan State University. Sidra Goldman-Mellor is with the Department of Public Health, School of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts, University of California, Merced. Maria Muzik is with the Departments of Psychiatry and Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Michigan‒Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor. Alison Gemmill is with the Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Sidra Goldman-Mellor
- Claire E. Margerison is with the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing. Xueshi Wang is with the Department of Economics, College of Social Science, Michigan State University. Sidra Goldman-Mellor is with the Department of Public Health, School of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts, University of California, Merced. Maria Muzik is with the Departments of Psychiatry and Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Michigan‒Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor. Alison Gemmill is with the Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Maria Muzik
- Claire E. Margerison is with the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing. Xueshi Wang is with the Department of Economics, College of Social Science, Michigan State University. Sidra Goldman-Mellor is with the Department of Public Health, School of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts, University of California, Merced. Maria Muzik is with the Departments of Psychiatry and Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Michigan‒Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor. Alison Gemmill is with the Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Alison Gemmill
- Claire E. Margerison is with the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing. Xueshi Wang is with the Department of Economics, College of Social Science, Michigan State University. Sidra Goldman-Mellor is with the Department of Public Health, School of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts, University of California, Merced. Maria Muzik is with the Departments of Psychiatry and Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Michigan‒Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor. Alison Gemmill is with the Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
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Landis RK, Stein BD, Dick AW, Griffin BA, Saloner BK, Terplan M, Faherty LJ. Trends and Disparities in Perinatal Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in Medicaid, 2007-2012. Med Care Res Rev 2024; 81:145-155. [PMID: 38160405 DOI: 10.1177/10775587231216515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
We described Medicaid-insured women by receipt of perinatal opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment; and trends and disparities in treatment. Using 2007 to 2012 Medicaid Analytic eXtract data from 45 states and D.C., we identified deliveries among women with OUD. Regressions modeled the association between patient characteristics and receipt of any OUD treatment, medication for OUD (MOUD), and counseling alone during the perinatal period. Rates of any OUD treatment and MOUD for women with perinatal OUD increased over the study period, but trends differed by subgroup. Compared with non-Hispanic White women, Black and American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) women were less likely to receive any OUD treatment, and Black women were less likely to receive MOUD. Over time, the disparity in receipt of MOUD between Black and White women increased. Overall gains in OUD treatment were driven by improvements in perinatal OUD care for White women and obscured disparities for Black and AI/AN women.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Laura J Faherty
- RAND Corporation, Boston, MA, USA
- Maine Medical Center, Portland, ME, USA
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Sapru S, Mitchell K, McFadden T. Combining Physician Expertise and Women's Lived Experience to Educate Health Professionals about Preventing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Matern Child Health J 2024; 28:229-239. [PMID: 37847449 DOI: 10.1007/s10995-023-03786-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Physician Champions from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and trained women Speakers from FASD United, who have given birth to a child with a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), co-present to healthcare providers (HCPs) in medical residency programs as part of an educational intervention. They present FASDs as a biological and social problem surrounded by stigma that prevent pregnant women from talking openly to their HCPs about their alcohol use or alcohol use disorder (AUD) and getting the medical help they need. METHODS Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 ACOG Champions and nine FASD United Speakers and a thematic analysis assessed how the co-presentations can enhance HCPs' understanding about FASDs and address stigma associated with alcohol use during pregnancy. RESULTS Interview findings indicated that both Champions and Speakers emphasized the need for HCPs to be nonjudgmental and create a safe space for open dialogue. They reported that residents were moved by mothers' personal stories, wanted to understand AUD better, and asked about the type of help HCPs can offer women. DISCUSSION Combining physicians' expertise with mothers' personal stories of lived experiences of FASDs directed at residents, who are more reflective and open at this phase of their careers, moved them from a fact-based to an empathy-based approach to learning that is critical to address the stigma surrounding women who may be using alcohol or struggling with an AUD during pregnancy. Collaboration between national organizations allowed this intervention to be widely implemented across the country.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tonya McFadden
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Washington, DC, USA
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Ceasar RC, Gould E, Stal J, Laughter J, Tran M, Wang SD, Granacki J, Ziltzer RS, Santos JJ. Legislation has Changed But Issues Remain: Provider Perceptions of Caring for People Who Use Cannabis During Pregnancy in Safety Net Health Settings, a Qualitative Pilot Study. WOMEN'S HEALTH REPORTS (NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y.) 2023; 4:400-408. [PMID: 37529758 PMCID: PMC10389248 DOI: 10.1089/whr.2023.0057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Objective To identify perceptions of cannabis use and risk among maternal health providers who provide care for people who use cannabis during pregnancy in safety-net health settings. Methods Using qualitative, constructivist ground theory methods, we conducted semistructured remote interviews with 10 providers (2 midwives, 6 OB/GYN physicians, and 2 OB/GYN residents) in Southern California, United States, between March 15, 2022, and April 6, 2022. We selected participants through selective sampling using a convenience sample and snowball approach. Providers were eligible for the study if they self-reported via survey to being a maternal health provider (e.g., physician, doula, midwife, and so on) providing care in a safety-net health setting and had cared for people who used cannabis during pregnancy in the last year. Analysis drew upon grounded theory methods to document the socio-structural contexts that contribute to provider perceptions about cannabis. This study was approved by the University of Southern California Institutional Review Board (UP-21-00282-AM009). Results We identified three categories of provider perceptions of cannabis use and risk during pregnancy: (1) Relying on self-education, (2) Taking a case-by-case approach, and (3) Avoiding cannabis discussions to maintain an alliance with patients. Findings indicate that provider reluctance to counsel patients about cannabis in favor of preserving a therapeutic relationship can overlook the lack of resources and access to health care alternatives available to low-income patients that can shape self-medicating. Conclusions Nonpunitive policies and training on cannabis use are critical steps for supporting providers to counsel patients who use cannabis during pregnancy, alongside a harm reduction approach that acknowledges the broader socio-structural contexts and barriers facing patients who disclose use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Carmen Ceasar
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Erin Gould
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Julia Stal
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jen Laughter
- Department of Sociology, California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, California, USA
| | - Michelle Tran
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Shirlene D. Wang
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jordan Granacki
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Ryan S. Ziltzer
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jasmeen Joy Santos
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Chang G. Reducing Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and the Incidence of FASD: Is the Past Prologue? Alcohol Res 2023; 43:02. [PMID: 37114249 PMCID: PMC10127686 DOI: 10.35946/arcr.v43.1.02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE This narrative review summarizes and synthesizes the clinical trials and randomized clinical trials that evaluated selected and targeted approaches to reducing preconception and prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and alcohol-exposed pregnancy (AEP) since 2011. SEARCH METHODS A professional hospital librarian completed the primary search using strategies specified within this review, resulting in 94 records returned in PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Clinical Key, the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and ClinicalTrials.gov. The author completed two supplementary literature searches. SEARCH RESULTS From the total of 238 records returned from the three searches, 217 records were eliminated. Elimination reasons included other medical problem (119); duplicate entry (34); no content/results (23); secondary analysis (16); focus on effects of PAE (9); treatment of childhood fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) (6); maternal risk factors (3); and other (7). The remaining 21 studies were included with four overarching themes: (1) case management efforts (n = 4); (2) preconception efforts to reduce AEP (n = 5); (3) motivational interviewing and screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (n = 2); and (4) use of technology to deliver the intervention (n = 10). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Case management and home visits did not appear to have strong current empirical support. Study limitations included small sample sizes and no comparison groups, whereas larger efforts did not demonstrate definitive advantages to justify this intensive approach. The studies of preconception efforts, all based on the Project CHOICES approach, had similar outcomes, with the reduction in AEP risk largely due to improved contraception in women of childbearing age who were sexually active and drank alcohol but were not pregnant. It is unknown whether these women refrained from alcohol use when they became pregnant. Two studies of motivational interviewing to reduce prenatal alcohol use did not demonstrate the efficacy of the intervention. Both were small, with less than 200 pregnant women combined; moreover, the study samples had low baseline levels of alcohol use, allowing little opportunity for improvement. Finally, studies evaluating the impact of technological approaches to reducing AEP were reviewed. These exploratory investigations had small sample sizes and provided preliminary evaluations of techniques such as text messages, telephone contact, computer-based screening, and motivational interviewing. The potentially promising findings may inform future research and clinical efforts. Future directions may include research to address the limitations of the evidence to date and should reflect the complexities of FASD that include the biological and social context associated with prenatal alcohol use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Chang
- Department of Mental Health, Veterans Administration Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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Wakeman SE, Lambert E, Kung S, Brisbon NM, Carroll AD, Hickman TT, Covahey C, Sequist TD, Weiner SG. Trends in buprenorphine treatment disparities during the COVID pandemic in Massachusetts. Subst Abus 2022; 43:1317-1321. [PMID: 35896001 DOI: 10.1080/08897077.2022.2095077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
Background: Racial, sex, and age disparities in buprenorphine treatment have previously been demonstrated. We evaluated trends in buprenorphine treatment disparities before and after the onset of the COVID pandemic in Massachusetts. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from an integrated health system comparing 12-months before and after the March 2020 Massachusetts COVID state of emergency declaration, excluding March as a washout period. Among patients with a clinical encounter during the study periods with a diagnosis of opioid use disorder or opioid poisoning, we extracted outpatient buprenorphine prescription rates by age, sex, race and ethnicity, and language. Generating univariable and multivariable Poisson regression models, we calculated the probability of receiving buprenorphine. Results: Among 4,530 patients seen in the period before the COVID emergency declaration, 57.9% received buprenorphine. Among 3,653 patients seen in the second time period, 55.1% received buprenorphine. Younger patients (<24) had a lower likelihood of receiving buprenorphine in both time periods (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR), 0.56; 95% CI, 0.42-0.75 before vs. aPR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.60-0.96 after). Male patients had a greater likelihood of receiving buprenorphine compared to female patients in both time periods (aPR: 1.05; 95% CI, 1.00-1.11 vs. aPR: 1.09; 95% CI, 1.02-1.16). Racial disparities emerged in the time period following the COVID pandemic, with non-Hispanic Black patients having a lower likelihood of receiving buprenorphine compared to non-Hispanic white patients in the second time period (aPR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.72-0.99). Conclusions: Following the onset of the COVID pandemic in Massachusetts, ongoing racial, age, and gender disparities were evident in buprenorphine treatment with younger, Black, and female patients less likely to be treated with buprenorphine across an integrated health system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Wakeman
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Mass General Brigham, Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eugene Lambert
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sunny Kung
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Aleta D Carroll
- Mass General Brigham, Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Thu-Trang Hickman
- Mass General Brigham, Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Thomas D Sequist
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Mass General Brigham, Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Scott G Weiner
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
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McCOURT ALEXANDERD, WHITE SARAHA, BANDARA SACHINI, SCHALL THEO, GOODMAN DAISYJ, PATEL ESITA, McGINTY EMMAE. Development and Implementation of State and Federal Child Welfare Laws Related to Drug Use in Pregnancy. Milbank Q 2022; 100:1076-1120. [PMID: 36510665 PMCID: PMC9836249 DOI: 10.1111/1468-0009.12591] [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: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Policy Points Over the past several decades, states have adopted policies intended to address prenatal drug use. Many of these policies have utilized existing child welfare mechanisms despite potential adverse effects. Recent federal policy changes were intended to facilitate care for substance-exposed infants and their families, but state uptake has been incomplete. Using legal mapping and qualitative interviews, we examine the development of state child welfare laws related to substance use in pregnancy from 1974 to 2019, with a particular focus on laws adopted between 2009 and 2019. Our findings reveal policies that may disincentivize treatment-seeking and widespread implementation challenges, suggesting a need for new treatment-oriented policies and refined state and federal guidance. CONTEXT Amid increasing drug use among pregnant individuals, legislators have pursued policies intended to reduce substance use during pregnancy. Many states have utilized child welfare mechanisms despite evidence that these policies might disincentivize treatment-seeking. Recent federal changes were intended to facilitate care for substance-exposed infants and their families, but implementation of these changes at the state level has been slowed and complicated by existing state policies. We seek to provide a timeline of state child welfare laws related to prenatal drug use and describe stakeholder perceptions of implementation. METHODS We catalogued child welfare laws related to prenatal drug use, including laws that defined child abuse and neglect and established child welfare reporting standards, for all 50 states and the District of Columbia (DC), from 1974 to 2019. In the 19 states that changed relevant laws between 2009 and 2019, qualitative interviews were conducted with stakeholders to capture state-level perspectives on policy implementation. FINDINGS Twenty-four states and DC have passed laws classifying prenatal drug use as child abuse or neglect. Thirty-seven states and DC mandate reporting of suspected prenatal drug use to the state. Qualitative findings suggested variation in implementation within and across states between 2009 and 2019 and revealed that implementation of changes to federal law during that decade, intended to encourage states to provide comprehensive social services and linkages to evidence-based care to drug-exposed infants and their families, has been complicated by existing policies and a lack of guidance for practitioners. CONCLUSIONS Many states have enacted laws that may disincentivize treatment-seeking among pregnant people who use drugs and lead to family separation. To craft effective state laws and support their implementation, state policymakers and practitioners could benefit from a treatment-oriented approach to prenatal substance use and additional state and federal guidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- ALEXANDER D. McCOURT
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public HealthBaltimoreMarylandUnited States
| | - SARAH A. WHITE
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public HealthBaltimoreMarylandUnited States
| | - SACHINI BANDARA
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public HealthBaltimoreMarylandUnited States
| | - THEO SCHALL
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public HealthBaltimoreMarylandUnited States
| | - DAISY J. GOODMAN
- Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical PracticeHanoverNew HampshireUnited States
| | - ESITA PATEL
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public HealthBaltimoreMarylandUnited States
| | - EMMA E. McGINTY
- Division of Health Policy and EconomicsDepartment of Population Health SciencesWeill Cornell MedicineNew York, New YorkUnited States
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Paltrow LM, Harris LH, Marshall MF. Beyond Abortion: The Consequences of Overturning Roe. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOETHICS : AJOB 2022; 22:3-15. [PMID: 35652910 DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2022.2075965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The upcoming U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization has the potential to eliminate or severely restrict access to legal abortion care in the United States. We address the impact that the decision could have on abortion access and its consequences beyond abortion care. We posit that an abortion ban would, in effect, mean that anyone who becomes pregnant, including those who continue a pregnancy and give birth to healthy newborns and those with pregnancy complications or adverse pregnancy outcomes will become newly vulnerable to legal surveillance, civil detentions, forced interventions, and criminal prosecution. The harms imposed by banning or severely restricting abortion access will disproportionately affect persons of color and perpetuate structural racism. We caution that focusing on Roe as a decision that only protects ending a pregnancy ignores the protection that the decision also affords people who want to continue their pregnancies. It overlooks the ways in which overturning Roe will curtail fundamental rights for all those who become pregnant and will undermine their status as full persons meriting Constitutional protections. Such a singular focus inevitably obscures the common ground that people across the ideological spectrum might inhabit to ensure the safety, health, humanity, and rights of all people who experience pregnancy.
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DeJong KN, Choby B, Valent AM. Strategies for Prevention or Treatment of Tobacco and Cannabis Use Disorder. Clin Obstet Gynecol 2022; 65:397-419. [PMID: 35318983 DOI: 10.1097/grf.0000000000000688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Tobacco and cannabis use in pregnancy are associated with increased adverse perinatal and long-term offspring outcomes. Products for both have evolved with various forms available on the market, challenging accurate counseling of risks and quantification of tobacco and cannabis usage during the perinatal period. Health care providers are recommended to screen for any type of use, provide consistent messaging of harms of tobacco and cannabis use in pregnancy, and offer individualized interventions. The journey to cessation can be complicated by barriers and triggers, lack of social supports, and mental health challenges that should be addressed to prevent relapse and withdrawals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine N DeJong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Addiction Medicine, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, Washington
| | - Beth Choby
- Department of Medical Education, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Amy M Valent
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
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Richelle L, Dramaix-Wilmet M, Roland M, Kacenelenbogen N. Factors influencing medical students' attitudes towards substance use during pregnancy. BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION 2022; 22:335. [PMID: 35501752 PMCID: PMC9060417 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-022-03394-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND People with substance use disorder, and pregnant women especially, are subject to a lot of stigmas, which can prevent optimal accessibility and quality of care. In this survey, we investigated attitudes of final year medical students regarding substance use during pregnancy and identified the factors that influence these attitudes. METHOD This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2019 and 2020 in Belgium using the short version of the "Substance Abuse Attitude Survey" questionnaire. We focused on two items regarding punishment of substance use during pregnancy. We analysed the concordance between these two, their correlation with other items (e.g. stereotyping, morality, forced withdrawal, low treatment optimism) and the association between respondents' opinion on punishment and their sociodemographic data. RESULTS The response rate was 65.2% (370/567 online and face-to face questionnaires). 19.2% of respondents were in favour of punishment for alcohol use (n = 353) and 15.1% for drug use (n = 356) during pregnancy. The agreement analysis between the two items showed that 14.3% of students were in favour of punishing both pregnant women who use drugs and those using alcohol. Respondents tended to be more in favour of punishment if they were male students, older, their mothers' had a lower education level or had no personal or family history of substance use. Attitudes appeared to be more punitive among students with limited contact with people with substance use disorder (i.e. none or limited to hospital). Students intending to specialise in internal medicine were more in favour of punishment of women whereas none of those intending to specialise in psychiatry were in favour. CONCLUSION Our study shows that about 20% of surveyed medical students favoured punishing substance-using pregnant women. Awareness and training work seems to be necessary to ensure adequate care and support for this already vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lou Richelle
- Department of General Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Route de Lennik 808, 612 1070, Brussels, CP, Belgium.
| | - Michèle Dramaix-Wilmet
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Route de Lennik 808, 591 1070, Brussels, CP, Belgium
| | - Michel Roland
- Department of General Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Route de Lennik 808, 612 1070, Brussels, CP, Belgium
| | - Nadine Kacenelenbogen
- Department of General Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Route de Lennik 808, 612 1070, Brussels, CP, Belgium
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Humphreys K, Shover CL, Andrews CM, Bohnert ASB, Brandeau ML, Caulkins JP, Chen JH, Cuéllar MF, Hurd YL, Juurlink DN, Koh HK, Krebs EE, Lembke A, Mackey SC, Larrimore Ouellette L, Suffoletto B, Timko C. Responding to the opioid crisis in North America and beyond: recommendations of the Stanford-Lancet Commission. Lancet 2022; 399:555-604. [PMID: 35122753 PMCID: PMC9261968 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(21)02252-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 176] [Impact Index Per Article: 88.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Keith Humphreys
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
| | - Chelsea L Shover
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, University of California Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Christina M Andrews
- Department of Health Services Policy and Management, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Amy S B Bohnert
- Department of Psychiatry and Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Veterans Affairs Center for Clinical Management Research, Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Margaret L Brandeau
- Department of Management Science and Engineering, Huang Engineering Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | | | - Jonathan H Chen
- Stanford Center for Biomedical Informatics Research, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Division of Hospital Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Yasmin L Hurd
- Addiction Institute, Icahn School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - David N Juurlink
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Howard K Koh
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Erin E Krebs
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Center for Care Delivery and Outcomes Research, Veterans Affairs Minneapolis Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Anna Lembke
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Sean C Mackey
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | | | - Brian Suffoletto
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Christine Timko
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
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Differential Gateways, Facilitators, and Barriers to Substance Use Disorder Treatment for Pregnant Women and Mothers: A Scoping Systematic Review. J Addict Med 2022; 16:e185-e196. [PMID: 34380985 PMCID: PMC8828806 DOI: 10.1097/adm.0000000000000909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Access to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment is complex, and more so for pregnant women and mothers who experience unique barriers. This scoping systematic review aimed to summarize contemporary findings on gateways, facilitators, and barriers to treatment for pregnant women and mothers with SUD. METHODS We used the scoping review methodology and a systematic search strategy via MEDLINE/PubMed and Google Scholar. The search was augmented by the similar article lists for sources identified in PubMed. Scholarly and peer-reviewed articles that were published in English from 1996 to 2019 were included. A thematic analysis of the selected studies was used to summarize pathways to SUD treatment and to identify research gaps. RESULTS The analysis included 41 articles. Multiple gateway institutions were identified: health care settings, social service agencies, criminal justice settings, community organizations, and employers. Some of the identified facilitators and barriers to SUD treatment were unique to pregnant women and mothers (eg, fear of incarceration for child abuse). Both personal (emotional support and social support) and child-related factors (loss of children, suspension or termination of parental rights, the anticipation of reuniting with children) motivated women to seek treatment. Major access barriers included fear, stigma, charges of child abuse, inconvenience, and financial hardship. CONCLUSIONS There has been progress in implementing different types of interventions and treatments for that were attentive to pregnant women and mothers' needs. We developed a conceptual model that characterized women's pathways to treatment by deciphering women's potential engagement in gateway settings.
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Weber A, Miskle B, Lynch A, Arndt S, Acion L. Substance Use in Pregnancy: Identifying Stigma and Improving Care. Subst Abuse Rehabil 2021; 12:105-121. [PMID: 34849047 PMCID: PMC8627324 DOI: 10.2147/sar.s319180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
This review examines the impact of stigma on pregnant people who use substances. Stigma towards people who use drugs is pervasive and negatively impacts the care of substance-using people by characterizing addiction as a weakness and fostering beliefs that undermine the personal resources needed to access treatment and recover from addiction, including self-efficacy, help seeking and belief that they deserve care. Stigma acts on multiple levels by blaming people for having a problem and then making it difficult for them to get help, but in spite of this, most pregnant people who use substances reduce or stop using when they learn they are pregnant. Language, beliefs about gender roles, and attitudes regarding fitness for parenting are social factors that can express and perpetuate stigma while facilitating punitive rather than therapeutic approaches. Because of stigmatizing attitudes that a person who uses substances is unfit to parent, pregnant people who use substances are at heightened risk of being screened for substance use, referred to child welfare services, and having their parental rights taken away; these outcomes are even more likely for people of color. Various treatment options can successfully support recovery in substance-using pregnant populations, but treatment is underutilized in all populations including pregnant people, and more knowledge is needed on how to sustain engagement in treatment and recovery activities. To combat stigma when working with substance-using pregnant people throughout the peripartum period, caregivers should utilize a trauma-informed approach that incorporates harm reduction and motivational interviewing with a focus on building trust, enhancing self-efficacy, and strengthening the personal skills and resources needed to optimize health of the parent-baby dyad.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Weber
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Benjamin Miskle
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Alison Lynch
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Stephan Arndt
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Laura Acion
- Universidad de Buenos Aires - CONICET, Instituto de Cálculo, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Choi S, Stein MD, Raifman J, Rosenbloom D, Clark JA. Estimating the impact on initiating medications for opioid use disorder of state policies expanding Medicaid and prohibiting substance use during pregnancy. Drug Alcohol Depend 2021; 229:109162. [PMID: 34768053 PMCID: PMC8671210 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.109162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medicaid expansion increased access to addiction treatment services for pregnant women. However, states' imposition of civil or criminal child abuse sanctions for drug use during pregnancy could inhibit access to treatment. We estimated the effects of Medicaid expansion on pregnant women's medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) use, and its interaction with statutes that prohibit substance use during pregnancy. METHODS Using the Treatment Episode Dataset for Discharge (2010-2018), we identified the initial treatment episode of pregnant women with opioid use disorder (OUD). We described changes in MOUD use and estimated adjusted difference-in-differences and event study models to evaluate differences in changes in MOUD between states that prohibit substance use during pregnancy and states that do not. FINDINGS Among a total of 16,070 treatment episodes for pregnant women with OUD from 2010 to 2018, most (74%) were in states that expanded Medicaid. By one year post-expansion, the proportion of episodes receiving MOUD in states not prohibit substance use during pregnancy increased by 8.7% points (95% CI: 2.7, 14.7) from the pre-expansion period compared to a 5.6% point increase in states prohibiting substance use during pregnancy (95% CI: -3.3, 14.8). In adjusted event study analysis, the expansion was associated with an increase in MOUD use by 15.3% by year 2 in states not prohibiting versus 1.5% percentage points in states prohibiting substance use during pregnancy, respectively. CONCLUSIONS State policies prohibiting substance use during pregnancy may limit the salutary effects of Medicaid expansion for pregnant women who could benefit from MOUD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sugy Choi
- Department of Health Law, Policy & Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118, USA; Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Michael D. Stein
- Department of Health Law, Policy & Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
| | - Julia Raifman
- Department of Health Law, Policy & Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
| | - David Rosenbloom
- Department of Health Law, Policy & Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
| | - Jack A Clark
- Department of Health Law, Policy & Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
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