scholarly journals Project MIMIC (Maximizing Implementation of Motivational Incentives in Clinics): A cluster-randomized type 3 hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara J. Becker ◽  
Cara M. Murphy ◽  
Bryan Hartzler ◽  
Carla J. Rash ◽  
Tim Janssen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Patient Outcomes ◽  
The United States ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Treatment Programs ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Opioid Treatment ◽  
Implementation Outcomes ◽  
Cluster Randomized ◽  
Type 3

Abstract Background Opioid-related overdoses and harms have been declared a public health emergency in the United States, highlighting an urgent need to implement evidence-based treatments. Contingency management (CM) is one of the most effective behavioral interventions when delivered in combination with medication for opioid use disorder, but its implementation in opioid treatment programs is woefully limited. Project MIMIC (Maximizing Implementation of Motivational Incentives in Clinics) was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse to identify effective strategies for helping opioid treatment programs improve CM implementation as an adjunct to medication. Specific aims will test the impact of two different strategies on implementation outcomes (primary aim) and patient outcomes (secondary aims), as well as test putative mediators of implementation effectiveness (exploratory aim). Methods A 3-cohort, cluster-randomized, type 3 hybrid design is used with the opioid treatment programs as the unit of randomization. Thirty programs are randomized to one of two conditions. The control condition is the Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network implementation strategy, which consists of three core approaches: didactic training, performance feedback, and on-going consultation. The experimental condition is an enhanced ATTC strategy, with the same core ATTC elements plus two additional theory-driven elements. The two additional elements are Pay-for-Performance, which aims to increase implementing staff’s extrinsic motivations, and Implementation & Sustainment Facilitation, which targets staff’s intrinsic motivations. Data will be collected using a novel, CM Tracker tool to document CM session delivery, session audio recordings, provider surveys, and patient surveys. Implementation outcomes include CM Exposure (number of CM sessions delivered per patient), CM Skill (ratings of CM fidelity), and CM Sustainment (number of patients receiving CM after removal of support). Patient outcomes include self-reported opioid abstinence and opioid-related problems (both assessed at 3- and 6-months post-baseline). Discussion There is urgent public health need to improve the implementation of CM as an adjunct to medication for opioid use disorder. Consistent with its hybrid type 3 design, Project MIMIC is advancing implementation science by comparing impacts of these two multifaceted strategies on both implementation and patient outcomes, and by examining the extent to which the impacts of those strategies can be explained by putative mediators. Trial registration: This clinical trial has been registered with clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03931174). Registered April 30, 2019. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03931174?term=project+mimic&draw=2&rank=1

scholarly journals Methadone initiation in a bridge clinic for opioid withdrawal and opioid treatment program linkage: a case report applying the 72-hour rule

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordana Laks ◽  
Jessica Kehoe ◽  
Natalija M. Farrell ◽  
Miriam Komaromy ◽  
Jonathan Kolodziej ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Methadone Treatment ◽  
The United States ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Opioid Withdrawal ◽  
Treatment Programs ◽  
Opiate Withdrawal ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Case Presentation ◽  
Opioid Treatment ◽  
Life Threatening

Abstract Background In the United States, methadone for opioid use disorder (OUD) is limited to highly regulated opioid treatment programs (OTPs), rendering it inaccessible to many patients. The “72-hour rule” allows non-OTP providers to administer methadone for emergency opioid withdrawal management while arranging ongoing care. Low-barrier substance use disorder (SUD) bridge clinics provide rapid access to buprenorphine but offer an opportunity to treat acute opioid withdrawal while facilitating OTP linkage. We describe the case of a patient with OUD who received methadone for opioid withdrawal in a bridge clinic and linked to an OTP within 72 h. Case presentation A 54-year-old woman with severe OUD was seen in a SUD bridge clinic requesting OTP linkage and assessed with a clinical opiate withdrawal scale (COWS) score of 12. She reported daily nasal use of 1 g heroin/fentanyl. Prior OUD treatment included buprenorphine-naloxone, which was only partially effective. Her acute opioid withdrawal was treated with a single observed oral dose of methadone 20 mg. She returned the following day with persistent opioid withdrawal (COWS score 11) and was treated with methadone 40 mg. On day 3, the patient was successfully admitted to a local OTP, where she remained engaged 3 months later. Conclusions While patients continue to face substantial access barriers, bridge clinics can play an important role in treating opioid withdrawal, building partnerships with OTPs to initiate methadone on demand, and preventing life-threatening delays to methadone treatment. Federal policy reform is urgently needed to make methadone more accessible to people with OUD.

Inpatient Opioid Use Disorder Treatment by Generalists is Associated With Linkage to Opioid Treatment Programs After Discharge

2021 ◽  
Vol Publish Ahead of Print ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah R. Tierney ◽  
Christopher L. Rowe ◽  
Diana A. Coffa ◽  
Shashi Sarnaik ◽  
Phillip O. Coffin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Treatment Programs ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Opioid Treatment ◽  
Disorder Treatment

scholarly journals Methadone Distribution Trends from 2017-2019 in the United States

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
John A. Furst ◽  
Nicholas J. Mynarski ◽  
Kenneth L. McCall ◽  
Brian J. Piper
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Rhode Island ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
The United States ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Treatment Programs ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Drug Enforcement ◽  
The Us

AbstractObjectiveMethadone is an evidence based treatment for opioid use disorder and is also employed for acute pain. The primary objective of this study was to explore methadone distribution patterns between the years 2017 and 2019 across the United States (US). This study builds upon previous literature that has analyzed prior years of US distribution patterns, and further outlines regional and state specific methadone trends.MethodsThe Drug Enforcement Administration’s Automated Reports and Consolidated Ordering System (ARCOS) was used to acquire the number of narcotic treatment programs (NTPs) per state and methadone distribution weight in grams. Methadone distribution by weight, corrected for state populations, and number of NTPs were compared from 2017 to 2019 between states, within regions, and nationally.ResultsBetween 2017 and 2019, the national distribution of methadone increased 12.30% for NTPs but decreased 34.57% for pain, for a total increase of 2.66%. While all states saw a decrease in distribution for pain, when compared regionally, the Northeast showed a significantly smaller decrease than all other regions. Additionally, the majority of states experienced an increase in distribution for NTPs and most states demonstrated a relatively stable or increasing number of NTPs, with an 11.49% increase in NTPs nationally. The number of NTPs per 100K in 2019 ranged from 2.08 in Rhode Island to 0.00 in Wyoming.ConclusionAlthough methadone distribution for OUD was increasing in the US, there were pronounced regional disparities.

The opioid epidemic

2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 196-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nitin Chopra ◽  
Lauren H Marasa
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
The United States ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Treatment Programs ◽  
Opioid Epidemic ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Significant Family History ◽  
History Of ◽  
Number Of Treatment

Opioid use disorder is a growing epidemic, with an alarming number of associated deaths. In 2014, in the United States, 18,893 lethal overdoses were related to prescription opioids and 10,574 due to heroin. Despite the growing number of treatment options for substance use disorders, which are chronic, relapsing-remitting conditions, relapse rates remain as high as 91%. In the United States, 7.5 million children reside with at least one patient who abuses drugs or alcohol. Mothers are twice as likely to lose custody of their children. They have higher rates of comorbid abuse and psychopathology and limited social supports. Child service agencies, commonly involved in these scenarios, are often pressured to find permanent placement for children, within an expedited timeframe, inconsistent with the need for sufficient time for recovery and goals of family inclusion and unity. We present the complicated case of a 25-year-old woman with a history of opioid use disorder and depression, who, after being in and out of treatment programs for years, had a lethal overdose. She had a significant family history of addiction and had lost custody of her children. This challenging, but common presentation draws attention to challenges in providing treatment during this opioid epidemic.

scholarly journals Assessing the impact of the Good Samaritan Law in the state of Connecticut: a system dynamics approach

2022 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nasim S. Sabounchi ◽  
Rebekah Heckmann ◽  
Gail D’Onofrio ◽  
Jennifer Walker ◽  
Robert Heimer
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
System Dynamics ◽  
The United States ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Behavioral Changes ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Good Samaritan ◽  
Ed Visits ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Overdose Deaths

Abstract Background Although Good Samaritan laws (GSLs) have been widely adopted throughout the United States, their efficacy in individual states is often unknown. This paper offers an approach for assessing the impact of GSLs and insight for policy-makers and public health officials who wish to know whether they should expect to see outcomes from similar policy interventions. Methods Utilizing a system dynamics (SD) modeling approach, the research team conducted a policy evaluation to determine the impact of GSLs on opioid use disorder (OUD) in Connecticut and evaluated the GSL based upon the following health outcomes: (1) emergency department (ED) visits for overdose, (2) behavioral changes of bystanders, and (3) overdose deaths. Results The simulation model suggests that Connecticut’s GSL has not yet affected overdose deaths but has resulted in bystander behavioral changes, such as increased 911 calls for overdose. ED visits have increased as the number of opioid users has increased. Conclusions The simulation results indicate that the number of opioid-related deaths will continue to increase and that the GSL alone cannot effectively control the crisis. However, the SD approach that was used will allow policymakers to evaluate the effectiveness of the GSL over time using a simulation framework. This SD model demonstrates great potential by producing simulations that allow policymakers to assess multiple strategies for combating the opioid crisis and select optimal public health interventions.

At the Intersection of Harm Reduction and COVID-19: The Role of Anthropologists during and Post-Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (4) ◽  
pp. 272-281
Author(s):  
Shana Harris ◽  
Allison Schlosser
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Harm Reduction ◽  
United States Public Health ◽  
The United States ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Public Health Approach ◽  
People Who Use Drugs ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Policy Changes

Harm reduction is a public health approach that emphasizes reducing the negative effects of drug use rather than eliminating it. It has been practiced for decades; however, the COVID-19 pandemic poses new challenges for people who use drugs (PWUD) and harm reduction providers. In the United States, public health recommendations to curb the pandemic are complicating harm reduction efforts. Harm reduction programs are rethinking how they engage with PWUD to comply with these recommendations while also providing essential services. In this article, we draw on academic literature, news articles, and information distributed by harm reduction programs to discuss issues currently faced by PWUD and harm reduction providers across the country. This discussion focuses on policy changes and programming adaptations related to three harm reduction interventions—syringe services programs, overdose prevention, and medications for opioid use disorder—that have emerged or gained traction during the pandemic. We argue that anthropologists should play a key role in addressing the obstacles and opportunities for harm reduction in the United States during and post-pandemic. Ethnographic research can generate important knowledge of how pandemic-related service and policy changes are localized by providers and experienced by PWUD and uncover how race, class, and gender may shape access to and experiences with modified harm reduction services. Applied anthropologists also have an important role in collaborating with harm reduction programs to ensure that the voices of marginalized individuals are not ignored as policy and programming changes take place during and after the pandemic.

scholarly journals Epigenetic and Genetic Factors Associated With Opioid Use Disorder: Are These Relevant to African American Populations

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher A. Blackwood ◽  
Jean Lud Cadet
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Factors ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
The United States ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Treatment Programs ◽  
Opioid Overdose ◽  
Racial Groups ◽  
Epigenetic Alterations ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Overdose Deaths

In the United States, the number of people suffering from opioid use disorder has skyrocketed in all populations. Nevertheless, observations of racial disparities amongst opioid overdose deaths have recently been described. Opioid use disorder is characterized by compulsive drug consumption followed by periods of withdrawal and recurrent relapses while patients are participating in treatment programs. Similar to other rewarding substances, exposure to opioid drugs is accompanied by epigenetic changes in the brain. In addition, genetic factors that are understudied in some racial groups may also impact the clinical manifestations of opioid use disorder. These studies are important because genetic factors and epigenetic alterations may also influence responses to pharmacological therapeutic approaches. Thus, this mini-review seeks to briefly summarize what is known about the genetic bases of opioid use disorder in African Americans.

scholarly journals Neurocognitive, psychiatric, and substance use characteristics in a diverse sample of persons with OUD who are starting methadone or buprenorphine/naloxone in opioid treatment programs

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Travis M. Scott ◽  
Julia Arnsten ◽  
James Patrick Olsen ◽  
Franchesca Arias ◽  
Chinazo O. Cunningham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Substance Use Disorders ◽  
Neurocognitive Impairment ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Neurocognitive Functioning ◽  
Treatment Programs ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Opioid Agonist ◽  
Opioid Treatment

Abstract Background Medications for opioid use disorder such as opioid agonist treatment (OAT, including methadone, buprenorphine) are the gold standard intervention for opioid use disorder (OUD). Persons with OUD have high rates of neurocognitive impairment and psychiatric and substance use disorders, but few studies have examined these characteristics in diverse patients initiating OAT in opioid treatment programs (OTPs). Additionally, in these individuals, poor neurocognitive functioning and psychiatric/other substance use disorders are associated with poor OUD treatment outcomes. Given rapid changes in the opioid epidemic, we sought to replicate findings from our pilot study by examining these characteristics in a large diverse sample of persons with OUD starting OTP-based OAT. Methods Ninety-seven adults with OUD (M age = 42.2 years [SD = 10.3]; M education = 11.4 years [SD = 2.3]; 27% female; 22% non-Hispanic white) were enrolled in a randomized longitudinal trial evaluating methadone versus buprenorphine/naloxone on neurocognitive functioning. All participants completed a comprehensive neurocognitive, psychiatric, and substance use evaluation within one week of initiating OAT. Results Most of the sample met criteria for learning (79%) or memory (69%) impairment. Half exhibited symptoms of current depression, and comorbid substance use was highly prevalent. Lifetime cannabis and cocaine use disorders were associated with better neurocognitive functioning, while depression was associated with worse neurocognitive functioning. Conclusions Learning and memory impairment are highly prevalent in persons with OUD starting treatment with either methadone or buprenorphine/naloxone in OTPs. Depression and comorbid substance use are prevalent among these individuals, but neither impact learning or memory. However, depression is associated with neurocognitive impairment in other domains. These findings might allow clinicians to help persons with OUD starting OAT to develop compensatory strategies for learning and memory, while providing adjunctive treatment for depression. Trial Registration NCT, NCT01733693. Registered November 4, 2012, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01733693.

scholarly journals Telehealth for opioid use disorder treatment in low-barrier clinic settings: an exploration of clinician and staff perspectives

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shoshana V. Aronowitz ◽  
Eden Engel-Rebitzer ◽  
Abby Dolan ◽  
Kehinde Oyekanmi ◽  
David Mandell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Harm Reduction ◽  
The United States ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Treatment Programs ◽  
Opioid Overdose ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Access To Treatment ◽  
Provider Perspectives ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Disorder Treatment

Abstract Background The majority of individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) face access barriers to evidence-based treatment, and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the United States (US) opioid overdose crisis. However, the pandemic has also ushered in rapid transitions to telehealth in the USA, including for substance use disorder treatment with buprenorphine. These changes have the potential to mitigate barriers to care or to exacerbate pre-existing treatment inequities. The objective of this study was to qualitatively explore Philadelphia-based low-barrier, harm-reduction oriented, opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment provider perspectives about and experiences with telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to assess their desire to offer telehealth to patients at their programs in the future. Methods We interviewed 22 OUD treatment prescribers and staff working outpatient programs offering OUD treatment with buprenorphine in Philadelphia during July and August 2020. All participants worked at low-barrier treatment programs that provide buprenorphine using a harm reduction-oriented approach and without mandating counseling or other requirements as a condition of treatment. We analyzed the data using thematic content analysis. Results Our analysis yielded three themes: 1/ Easier access for some: telehealth facilitates care for many patients who have difficulty attending in-person appointments due to logistical and psychological barriers; 2/ A layered digital divide: engagement with telehealth can be seriously limited by patients’ access to and comfort with technology; and 3/ Clinician control: despite some clinic staff beliefs that patients should have the freedom to choose their treatment modality, patients’ access to treatment via telehealth may hinge on clinician perceptions of patient “stability” rather than patient preferences. Conclusions Telehealth may address many access issues, however, barriers to implementation remain, including patient ability and desire to attend healthcare appointments virtually. In addition, the potential for telehealth models to extend OUD care to patients currently underserved by in-person models may partially depend on clinician comfort treating patients deemed “unstable” via this modality. The ability of telehealth to expand access to OUD care for individuals who have previously struggled to engage with in-person care will likely be limited if these patients are not given the opportunity to receive treatment via telehealth.

scholarly journals Opioids and Chronic Pain: An Analytic Review of the Clinical Evidence

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen E. Nadeau ◽  
Jeffrey K. Wu ◽  
Richard A. Lawhern
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
The United States ◽  
Opioid Therapy ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Opioid Treatment ◽  
Opioid Dose ◽  
Risk Of Death ◽  
Analytic Review

We conducted an analytic review of the clinical scientific literature bearing on the use of opioids for treatment of chronic non-cancer pain in the United States. There is substantial, albeit not definitive, scientific evidence of the effectiveness of opioids in treating pain and of high variability in opioid dose requirements and side effects. The estimated risk of death from opioid treatment involving doses above 100 MMED is ~0.25%/year. Multiple large studies refute the concept that short-term use of opioids to treat acute pain predisposes to development of opioid use disorder. The prevalence of opioid use disorder associated with prescription opioids is likely <3%. Morbidity, mortality, and financial costs of inadequate treatment of the 18 million Americans with moderate to severe chronic pain are high. Because of the absence of comparative effectiveness studies, there are no scientific grounds for considering alternative non-pharmacologic treatments as an adequate substitute for opioid therapy but these treatments might serve to augment opioid therapy, thereby reducing dosage. There are reasons to question the ostensible risks of co-prescription of opioids and benzodiazepines. As the causes of the opioid crisis have come into focus, it has become clear that the crisis resides predominantly in the streets and that efforts to curtail it by constraining opioid treatment in the clinic are unlikely to succeed.

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