National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
Latest available findings on quality of and access to health care
Data
- Data Infographics
- Data Visualizations
- Data Tools
- Data Innovations
- All-Payer Claims Database
- Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP)
- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)
- AHRQ Quality Indicator Tools for Data Analytics
- State Snapshots
- United States Health Information Knowledgebase (USHIK)
- Data Sources Available from AHRQ
Search All Research Studies
AHRQ Research Studies
Sign up: AHRQ Research Studies Email updates
Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 3 of 3 Research Studies DisplayedAli 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
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