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- Access to Care (3)
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AHRQ Research Studies
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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 11 of 11 Research Studies DisplayedAli MM, McClellan C, Mutter R
AHRQ Author: McClellan C
Recreational marijuana laws and the misuse of prescription opioids: evidence from National Survey on Drug Use and Health microdata.
Using micro data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, researchers examined the relationship between recreational marijuana laws (RMLs) and the misuse of prescription opioids. They found that RML adoption reduced the likelihood of misusing prescription opioids; however, this initial effect appeared to dissipate 2 or 3 years after RML adoption, when the relationship to the likelihood of misusing prescription opioids became positive.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Ali MM, McClellan C, Mutter R .
Recreational marijuana laws and the misuse of prescription opioids: evidence from National Survey on Drug Use and Health microdata.
Health Econ 2023 Feb; 32(2):277-301. doi: 10.1002/hec.4620..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Substance Abuse, Behavioral Health, Policy
Ali MM, McClellan C, West KD
AHRQ Author: McClellan C
Medical marijuana laws, marijuana use, and opioid-related outcomes among women in the United States.
This study examined whether state medical marijuana laws (MMLs) was associated with lower levels of opioid-related outcomes. Data was drawn from the 2002-2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health to compare opioid misuse in states with and without MMLs among all women, pregnant women, and parenting women. It also invested the impact of MMLs on marijuana use and marijuana use disorder. There was found to be no association of MMLs with opioid misuse, opioid misuse initiation, or opioid use disorder among all women, pregnant women and parenting women. However there was a positive correlation with marijuana use and marijuana use disorder among all women and women with children. MMLs were also associated with an increase in the frequency of opioid misuse in pregnant women and a decrease in the frequency of opioid misuse for parenting women.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Ali MM, McClellan C, West KD .
Medical marijuana laws, marijuana use, and opioid-related outcomes among women in the United States.
Womens Health Issues 2021 Jan-Feb;31(1):24-30. doi: 10.1016/j.whi.2020.09.003..
Keywords: Women, Opioids, Substance Abuse, Medication, Policy, Practice Patterns
Green TC, Davis C, Xuan Z
Laws mandating coprescription of naloxone and their impact on naloxone prescription in five US states, 2014-2018.
Researchers sought to examine early impacts of laws that require naloxone to be prescribed to patients at increased overdose risk. Data from CVS Pharmacy 90 days before and after the naloxone-prescribing mandates took effect in Arizona, Florida, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia were examined. The researchers concluded that mandating the prescribing of naloxone quickly expands access to this life-saving medication for more people in more places. They recommended that other states consider mandating the co-prescription of naloxone to individuals at increased risk of overdose.
AHRQ-funded; HS024021.
Citation: Green TC, Davis C, Xuan Z .
Laws mandating coprescription of naloxone and their impact on naloxone prescription in five US states, 2014-2018.
Am J Public Health 2020 Jun;110(6):881-87. doi: 10.2105/ajph.2020.305620..
Keywords: Policy, Medication, Substance Abuse, Opioids
Bailey SR, Marino M, Ezekiel-Herrera D
Tobacco cessation in Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion states versus non-expansion states.
This study examined whether states that expanded Medicaid eligibility under the ACA had increased smoking quit rates, tobacco cessation medication orders, and greater health care utilization compared to patients in non-expansion states. The researchers used electronic health record (EHR) data from 219 community health centers (CHCs) in 10 states that expanded Medicaid as of January 2014. They identified patients aged 19-64 with tobacco use status in their records within six months prior to ACA Medicaid expansion and 1 or more visits. They found that patients in expansion states had increased adjusted odds of quitting, having a medication ordered and having follow-up visits compared to patients in non-expansion states.
AHRQ-funded; HS024270.
Citation: Bailey SR, Marino M, Ezekiel-Herrera D .
Tobacco cessation in Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion states versus non-expansion states.
Nicotine Tob Res 2020 Jun;22(6):1016-22. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntz087..
Keywords: Tobacco Use: Smoking Cessation, Tobacco Use, Substance Abuse, Medication, Medicaid, Policy, Healthcare Utilization, Access to Care, Health Insurance
Heins SE, Frey KP, Alexander GC
Reducing high-dose opioid prescribing: state-level morphine equivalent daily dose policies, 2007-2017.
This paper looked at current state-level policies in the United States from January 2007-May 2017 limiting high morphine equivalent daily dose (MEDD) prescribing. State-level threshold policies were reviewed using LexisNexis and Westlaw Next for legislative acts and Google for nonlegislative state-level policies. State websites were also reviewed to identify additional policies. Policies were then independently double-coded on the categories: state, agency/organization, policy type, effective date, threshold level, and policy exceptions. Currently 22 states have at least 1 MEDD policy, most commonly guidelines (14 states). Other states have prior authorizations (4 states), rules/regulations (4 states), legislative acts (3 states), claim denials (2 states), and alert systems/automatic patient reports (2 states). Thresholds vary widely (30-300 mg MEDD), with higher thresholds corresponding to more restrictive policies (claim denial), and lower thresholds corresponding to less restrictive policies (guidelines). The majority of policies exclude patients with terminal illnesses or acute pain.
AHRQ-funded; HS025557.
Citation: Heins SE, Frey KP, Alexander GC .
Reducing high-dose opioid prescribing: state-level morphine equivalent daily dose policies, 2007-2017.
Pain Med 2020 Feb;21(2):308-16. doi: 10.1093/pm/pnz038..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Policy, Practice Patterns, Substance Abuse
Springer R, Marino M,, Bailey SR
Prescription opioid use patterns, use disorder diagnoses and addiction treatment receipt after the 2014 Medicaid expansion in Oregon.
This study compared the prevalence of receipt of opioid prescriptions and opioid use disorder (OUD), along with time from OUD diagnosis to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) receipt between Oregon residents who had been continuously insured by Medicaid, were newly insured after Medicaid expansion in 2014 or returned to Medicaid coverage after expansion.
AHRQ-funded; HS024270.
Citation: Springer R, Marino M,, Bailey SR .
Prescription opioid use patterns, use disorder diagnoses and addiction treatment receipt after the 2014 Medicaid expansion in Oregon.
Addiction 2019 Oct;114(10):1775-84. doi: 10.1111/add.14667..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Substance Abuse, Medicaid, Practice Patterns, Health Insurance, Access to Care, Policy
Davis CS, Green TC, Hernandez-Delgado H
Status of US state laws mandating timely reporting of nonfatal overdose.
Timely, actionable, nonfatal overdose data are urgently needed to improve public health response to the overdose crisis. The purpose of this paper was to provide background and catalyze discussion regarding this important issue. The authors briefly report the results of a systematic analysis of state laws mandating reporting of nonfatal overdose, and provide suggestions for improving the collection and use of nonfatal overdose data to improve the public health response to this ongoing epidemic.
AHRQ-funded; HS024021.
Citation: Davis CS, Green TC, Hernandez-Delgado H .
Status of US state laws mandating timely reporting of nonfatal overdose.
Am J Public Health 2018 Sep;108(9):1159-61. doi: 10.2105/ajph.2018.304589..
Keywords: Adverse Drug Events (ADE), Adverse Events, Medication, Opioids, Policy, Public Health, Substance Abuse
Tran Smith B, Seaton K, Andrews C
Benefit requirements for substance use disorder treatment in state health insurance exchanges.
This study assessed the extent to which state insurance departments regulate the types of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment that services and medications plans must provide, and also their use of utilization controls. Data were obtained from state insurance departments via an internet-based survey, as part of the National Drug Abuse Treatment System Survey. The results indicate that states vary widely in regulations on qualified health plans’ (QHPs) administration of SUD treatment benefits; some required plans to cover all the SUD treatment services and medications assessed in this study, while others did not require plans to cover any at all. Nearly all states allowed the plans to employ utilization controls, but reported little guidance on their usage. The authors conclude that by not requiring coverage for the entire SUD continuum of care, some states hinder client access to the appropriate types of care needed for recovery.
AHRQ-funded; HS000084.
Citation: Tran Smith B, Seaton K, Andrews C .
Benefit requirements for substance use disorder treatment in state health insurance exchanges.
Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 2018;44(4):426-30. doi: 10.1080/00952990.2017.111934..
Keywords: Access to Care, Health Insurance, Medication, Policy, Substance Abuse
Kennedy-Hendricks A, Barry CL, Gollust SE
Social stigma toward persons with prescription opioid use disorder: associations with public support for punitive and public health-oriented policies.
This study examined social stigma toward individuals with prescription opioid use disorder and tested whether stigma was associated with support for various policy interventions. Respondents expressed high levels of stigma toward individuals with prescription opioid use disorder. Higher levels of stigma were associated with greater support for punitive policies and lower support for public health-oriented policies.
AHRQ-funded; HS000029.
Citation: Kennedy-Hendricks A, Barry CL, Gollust SE .
Social stigma toward persons with prescription opioid use disorder: associations with public support for punitive and public health-oriented policies.
Psychiatr Serv 2017 May;68(5):462-69. doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.201600056.
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Keywords: Medication, Opioids, Policy, Social Stigma, Substance Abuse
Williams AR, Olfson M, Kim JH
Older, less regulated medical marijuana programs have much greater enrollment rates than newer 'Medicalized' programs.
The researchers analyzed marijuana programs according to seven components of traditional medical care and pharmaceutical regulation. They then examined enrollment rates, while controlling for potentially confounding state characteristics. They found that fourteen of the twenty-four programs were nonmedical and collectively enrolled 99.4 percent of participants nationwide, with enrollment rates twenty times greater than programs deemed to be "medicalized."
AHRQ-funded; HS021112.
Citation: Williams AR, Olfson M, Kim JH .
Older, less regulated medical marijuana programs have much greater enrollment rates than newer 'Medicalized' programs.
Health Aff 2016 Mar;35(3):480-8. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2015.0528.
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Keywords: Policy, Medication, Substance Abuse
Bachhuber MA, McGinty EE, Kennedy-Hendricks A
Messaging to increase public support for naloxone distribution policies in the United States: results from a randomized survey experiment.
The investigators conducted a web-based survey (GfK Knowledge Panel) about barriers to public support for naloxone distribution. They concluded that public support for naloxone distribution can be improved through education and sympathetic portrayals of the population who stands to benefit from these policies.
AHRQ-funded; HS000029.
Citation: Bachhuber MA, McGinty EE, Kennedy-Hendricks A .
Messaging to increase public support for naloxone distribution policies in the United States: results from a randomized survey experiment.
PLoS One 2015 Jul;10(7):e0130050. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130050.
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Keywords: Medication, Opioids, Policy, Substance Abuse