Faculty Bibliography

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:Expanding access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) to people involved in the carceral system is a priority for the New Hampshire Department of Corrections (NHDOC), where more than 40% of residents have an opioid use disorder (OUD). NHDOC participated in the multi-site Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN) clinical trial, "Long-acting buprenorphine vs. naltrexone opioid treatments in criminal justice system-involved adults (EXIT-CJS)". We examine the contributing factors to the expansion of the NHDOC MOUD program from 2021 to 2023, including participation in EXIT-CJS, which occurred from 2019 to 2024. METHODS:Data on quarterly MOUD prescribing and EXIT-CJS enrollments were abstracted from the NHDOC medical records from July 1, 2021- December 31, 2023 as part of a quality improvement initiative. To examine factors influencing expansion of the program, conversations were conducted with NHDOC leadership team and clinical staff. RESULTS:From 2021 to 2023, the quarterly number of patients treated with MOUD at the NHDOC increased by more than 400% from a total of 165 patients in July-September 2021, to 685 patients in October-December 2023. At the policy level, elimination of the federal DATA-Waiver (X-Waiver) Program allowed additional providers to prescribe MOUD. At the organizational level, support from NHDOC leadership, including Medical and Forensics and the Commissioner's Office, encouraged broader engagement in MOUD from providers, multidisciplinary staff, and security. This work was augmented through receipt of State Opioid Response (SOR) dollars with a requirement to continue to advance education for NHDOC staff on the efficacy of MOUD. Resulting discussions between medical providers, experts on addiction treatment, staff and residents supported a culture change in attitudes about MOUD. During this same time window, the NHDOC made significant adjustments in the distribution of MOUD by adjusting the nursing administration process thus reducing the stigma associated with being a patient on MOUD and treating MOUD medication administration like all other medical conditions. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS:Policy-related, organizational, and individual factors contributed to the expansion of the MOUD program at the NHDOC. EXIT-CJS recruitment occurred synergistically with the expansion of the MOUD program. As NHDOC was engaged as a site in EXIT-CJS, study recruitment increased awareness of extended-release treatment options among residents and staff.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS/OBJECTIVE:It is unclear if findings from randomized controlled trials (RCT) of medications for opioid use disorder apply to real-world settings. We estimated the effectiveness of buprenorphine-naloxone (BUP-NX) versus extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX) on treatment interruption in a RCT and an observational study based on real-world data. DESIGN/METHODS:Target trial emulation to harmonize the protocol and statistical analyses of X:BOT (target trial) and the observational study (observational emulation). Baseline was randomization in the target trial and medically managed opioid withdrawal (MMOW) discharge in the observational emulation. SETTINGS/METHODS:X:BOT trial and Massachusetts Public Health Data Warehouse observational data (United States). PARTICIPANTS/METHODS:The target trial included all X:BOT participants. The observational emulation trial included MMOW discharges from January 2014 to May 2016. MEASUREMENTS/METHODS:Treatment strategies were BUP-NX versus XR-NTX initiation within 28 days of baseline. The outcome was treatment interruption (earliest of treatment discontinuation, incarceration, MMOW readmission, death). We estimated the 24-week risk and risk difference. FINDINGS/RESULTS:In the target trial, 94% (269/287) and 66% (187/283) of participants randomized to BUP-NX or XR-NTX initiated their assigned treatment within 28 days, respectively. In the observational emulation, BUP-NX and XR-NTX were initiated within 28 days in 9% (5209/59 076) and 3% (1813/59 076) of MMOW discharges, respectively. The adjusted 24-week treatment interruption risks (95% confidence interval) for BUP-NX and XR-NTX were 68% (60%,77%) and 72% (60%,83%) in the target trial [risk difference, -4 percentage points (pp; -17 pp,11 pp)] and 82% (81%,83%) and 93% (92%,95%) in the observational emulation [risk difference,-11 pp (-13 pp,-10 pp)]. CONCLUSIONS:Buprenorphine-naloxone might be superior to extended-release naltrexone in real-world settings where the majority of people struggle to remain on medications for opioid use disorder. Buprenorphine-naloxone initiators had a lower risk of treatment interruption than extended-release naltrexone initiators in an observational emulation, but similar risks in a randomized controlled trial, although confidence intervals were wide. Trial participation, study size and residual confounding may explain these differences.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:Most Americans now access social media platforms, including YouTube, to obtain health information. However, few studies have evaluated the quality of YouTube content related to opioid use disorder (OUD), including medications for OUD (MOUD; buprenorphine) and harm reduction resources (e.g., naloxone). The purpose of this cross-sectional analysis was to assess the quality, accuracy, and reliability of MOUD and harm reduction-related video content available on YouTube. METHODS:The study team conducted a YouTube search between June 2022 and July 2022 using key words related to MOUD and harm reduction content (e.g., "suboxone," "methadone," "Narcan"). The 5 most viewed videos from each search term were analyzed for quality (i.e., Global Quality Scale; GQS), accuracy (i.e., JAMA Benchmark Criteria), and reliability (i.e., DISCERN). Videos that were non-English, duplicate, or that did not directly mention OUD, MOUD, or harm reduction were excluded from the review (N = 6). RESULTS:YouTube videos (N = 70) were mostly produced by medical professionals (27.1 %), independent nonmedical users (21.4 %; e.g., vloggers, individuals documenting their experiences), medical organizations (17.1 %; e.g., hospitals, treatment programs), and/or media (14.3 %; e.g., news agencies). The target audience was primarily the general public (65.7 %), people who use opioids (20.0 %), and healthcare providers (10.0 %). Videos containing MOUD content (N = 64, 61.4 %) mostly focused on suboxone (25.0 %), methadone (23.4 %), Sublocade (14.1 %), and subutex/buprenorphine (14.1 %). The median quality score was 2 based on the GQS with 3 videos receiving the highest quality rating (5). Two videos were highly rated for accuracy per all three JAMA Benchmark criteria. Videos produced by nonmedical educational channels had the highest overall reliability scores on the DISCERN criteria (median 4), followed by medical professionals (median 3), and medical organizations (median 2.5). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:The overall quality, accuracy, and reliability of MOUD and harm reduction related content posted on YouTube is poor. The lack of evidence-based content posted on YouTube reinforces the need for public health expert involvement in disseminating guideline-based content on social media.

BACKGROUND:Offering medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in carceral settings significantly reduces overdose. However, it is unknown to what extent individuals in jails continue MOUD once they leave incarceration. We aimed to assess the relationship between in-jail MOUD and MOUD continuity in the month following release. METHODS:We conducted a retrospective cohort study of linked NYC jail-based electronic health records and community Medicaid OUD treatment claims for individuals with OUD discharged from jail between 2011 and 2017. We compared receipt of MOUD within 30 days of release, among those with and without MOUD at release from jail. We tested for effect modification based on MOUD receipt prior to incarceration and assessed factors associated with treatment discontinuation. RESULTS:Of 28,298 eligible incarcerations, 52.8 % received MOUD at release. 30 % of incarcerations with MOUD at release received community-based MOUD within 30 days, compared to 7 % of incarcerations without MOUD (Risk Ratio: 2.62 (2.44-2.82)). Most (69 %) with MOUD claims prior to incarceration who received in-jail MOUD continued treatment in the community, compared to 9 % of those without prior MOUD. Those who received methadone (vs. buprenorphine), were younger, Non-Hispanic Black and with no history of MOUD were less likely to continue MOUD following release. CONCLUSIONS:MOUD maintenance in jail is strongly associated with MOUD continuity upon release. Still, findings highlight a gap in treatment continuity upon-reentry, especially among those who initiate MOUD in jail. In the wake of worsening overdose deaths and troubling disparities, improving MOUD continuity among this population remains an urgent priority.

Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) increase retention in care and decrease mortality during active treatment; however, information about the comparative effectiveness of different forms of MOUD is sparse. Observational comparative effectiveness studies are subject to many types of bias; a robust framework to minimize bias would improve the quality of comparative effectiveness evidence. This paper discusses the use of target trial emulation as a framework to conduct comparative effectiveness studies of MOUD with administrative data. Using examples from our planned research project comparing buprenorphine-naloxone and extended-release naltrexone with respect to the rates of MOUD discontinuation, we provide a primer on the challenges and approaches to employing target trial emulation in the study of MOUD.

BACKGROUND:Non-fatal overdose is a leading predictor of subsequent fatal overdose. For individuals who are incarcerated, the risk of experiencing an overdose is highest when transitioning from a correctional setting to the community. We assessed if enrollment in jail-based medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) is associated with lower risk of non-fatal opioid overdoses after jail release among individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). METHODS:This was a retrospective, observational cohort study of adults with OUD who were incarcerated in New York City jails and received MOUD or did not receive any MOUD (out-of-treatment) within the last three days before release to the community in 2011-2017. The outcome was the first non-fatal opioid overdose emergency department (ED) visit within 1 year of jail release during 2011-2017. Covariates included demographic, clinical, incarceration-related, and other characteristics. We performed multivariable cause-specific Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to compare the risk of non-fatal opioid overdose ED visits within 1 year after jail release between groups. RESULTS:MOUD group included 8660 individuals with 17,119 incarcerations; out-of-treatment group included 10,163 individuals with 14,263 incarcerations. Controlling for covariates and accounting for competing risks, in-jail MOUD was associated with lower non-fatal opioid overdose risk within 14 days after jail release (adjusted HR=0.49, 95% confidence interval=0.33-0.74). We found no significant differences 15-28, 29-56, or 57-365 days post-release. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:MOUD group had lower risk of non-fatal opioid overdose immediately after jail release. Wider implementation of MOUD in US jails could potentially reduce post-release overdoses, ED utilization, and associated healthcare costs.

BACKGROUND:High potency synthetic opioids like fentanyl have continued to replace or contaminate the supply of illicit drugs in North America, with fentanyl test strips (FTSs) often used as a harm reduction tool for overdose prevention. The available evidence to support FTS for harm reduction has yet to be summarized. METHODS:A search of PubMed, Ovid Embase, and Web of Science was conducted in March 2023. A 2-stage review was conducted to screen by title and abstract and then by full text by 2 reviewers. Data were extracted from each study using a standardized template. RESULTS:A total of 91 articles were included, mostly from North America, predominantly reporting on FTS along with other harm reduction tools, and all conducted after 2016. No randomized controlled trials are reported. Robust evidence exists supporting the sensitivity and specificity of FTS, along with their acceptability and feasibility of use for people who use drugs and as a public health intervention. However, limited research is available on the efficacy of FTS as a harm reduction tool for behavior change, engagement in care, or overdose prevention. CONCLUSIONS:Though FTSs are highly sensitive and specific for point of care testing, further research is needed to assess the association of FTS use with overdose prevention. Differences in FTS efficacy likely exist between people who use opioids and nonopioid drugs, with additional investigation strongly needed. As drug testing with point-of-care immunoassays is embraced for nonfentanyl contaminants such as xylazine and benzodiazepines, increased investment in examining overdose prevention is necessary.

INTRODUCTION/UNASSIGNED:This mixed-methods study assessed buprenorphine provider and administrator perceptions and experiences in offering telebuprenorphine during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS/UNASSIGNED:Semi-structured interviews were conducted between June 2021 and September 2021 among telebuprenorphine providers and administrators (N=16) and assessed for program design and implementation strategies, clinical workflow, patient-level factors influencing program entry and retention, and challenges and solutions to improving clinical care. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:Clinician (n=15) and administrator (n=1) participants identified changes to clinical workflow, including increased administrative tasks to confirm patient receipt of prescribed medications, completion of referrals to community- or specialty treatment, and locating available pharmacies and laboratory services. Challenges consisted of staff redeployment to COVID-19 related responsibilities, prior authorization requirements for buprenorphine prescriptions, billing structures that under-reimbursed for telephone or video visits, and concerns with changes in government regulations. Strategies to improving telebuprenorphine included offering "hotlines" to facilitate same-day visits, expanding between-visit support, establishing workflows with community pharmacies to ensure seamless dispensing of buprenorphine, co-location of behavioral health providers, and distributing donated mobile phones to patients. Suggested technologies for enhancing care included text messaging (75%) and smartphone applications (56.3%). CONCLUSIONS/UNASSIGNED:Findings from this study highlight considerable heterogeneity in the delivery of telebuprenorphine services.

The objective of this study was to estimate the associations of jail-initiated medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and patient navigation (PN) with opioid use disorder (OUD) at 6 months post-release. Three randomized trials (combined N = 330) were combined to assess whether MOUD (extended-release naltrexone or interim methadone) initiated prior to release from jail with or without PN would reduce the likelihood of a DSM-5 diagnosis of OUD 6 months post-release relative to enhanced treatment-as-usual (ETAU). Across the three studies, assignment to MOUD compared to ETAU was not associated with an OUD diagnosis at 6 months post-release (69% vs. 75%, respectively, OR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.42 to 1.20). Similarly, PN compared to MOUD without PN was not associated with an OUD diagnosis (63% vs 77%, respectively, OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.27 to 1.53). Results underscore the need to further optimize the effectiveness of MOUD for patients initiating treatment in jail, beginning with an emphasis on post-release treatment adherence.

BACKGROUND:Treatment with methadone and buprenorphine medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) during incarceration may lead to better community re-entry, but evidence on these relationships have been mixed. We aimed to identify community re-entry patterns and examine the association between in-jail MOUD and a pattern of successful reentry defined by rare occurrence of reincarceration and preventable healthcare utilization. METHODS:Data came from a retrospective, observational cohort study of 6066 adults with opioid use disorder who were incarcerated in New York City jails and released to the community during 2011-14. An outcome was community re-entry patterns identified by sequence analysis of 3-year post-release reincarceration, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations. An exposure was receipt of in-jail MOUD versus out-of-treatment (42 % vs. 58 %) for the last 3 days before discharge. The study accounted for differences in baseline demographic, clinical, behavioral, housing, and criminal legal characteristics between in-jail MOUD and out-of-treatment groups via propensity score matching. RESULTS:This study identified five re-entry patterns: stability (64 %), hospitalization (23 %), delayed reincarceration (7 %), immediate reincarceration (4 %), and continuous incarceration (2 %). After addressing confounding, 64 % and 57 % followed the stability pattern among MOUD and out-of-treatment groups who were released from jail in 2011, respectively. In 2012-14, the prevalence of following the stability pattern increased year-by-year while a consistently higher prevalence was observed among those with in-jail MOUD. CONCLUSIONS:Sequence analysis helped define post-release stability based on health and criminal legal system involvement. Receipt of in-jail MOUD was associated with a marker of successful community re-entry.