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The American Journal of Health Economics articles examine policies to address opioid crisis

The August 2023 issue of the American Journal of Health Economics will feature a cluster of articles that examine the opioid crisis.

10 Jul 2023

Meet the people deciding how to spend $50 billion in opioid settlement cash

As more than $50 billion makes its way to state and local governments to compensate for the opioid epidemic, people with high hopes for the money are already fighting over a little-known bureaucratic arm of the process: state councils that wield immense power over how the cash is spent.

10 Jul 2023

Study sheds light on the wide disparities within maternal mortality rates in the U.S.

A new study by investigators from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington and Mass General Brigham found that maternal mortality rates have worsened from 1999 to 2019, hitting some racial and ethnic groups and states harder than others.

3 Jul 2023

Xylazine can exacerbate the life-threatening effects of opioids, rat study shows

A new study in rats suggests that xylazine, the active ingredient in a non-opioid veterinary tranquilizer not approved for human use, can worsen the life-threatening effects of opioids.

21 Jun 2023

Study reveals sharp increase in hospital encounters for benzodiazepine-related toxicity among youth

The rate of hospital encounters for benzodiazepine-related toxicity rose by 67 per cent for young adults (aged 19 to 24) and 44 per cent for youth (aged 18 or below) in Ontario between 2013 and 2020, according to a new study from ICES and Unity Health Toronto.

15 Jun 2023

Males are significantly more vulnerable than females to overdose deaths

Men were significantly more vulnerable than women to overdose deaths involving opioid and stimulant drugs in 2020-2021, according to a new study analyzing death records data from across the United States. The study found that men had a 2–3 times greater rate of overdose mortality from opioids (like fentanyl and heroin) and psychostimulants (like methamphetamine and cocaine).

15 Jun 2023

Simple juice concentrate from the Japanese plum may reduce cardiovascular disease risk

More than 122 million Americans – about half of the U.S. population ages 20 and older – have high blood pressure, referred to medically as hypertension.

13 Jun 2023

Police drug seizures associated with increase in fatal overdoses

For decades, efforts by police to seize illicit drugs have been a cornerstone strategy for disrupting drug markets and removing drugs from communities. But there's an unintended outcome when opioids are seized, a new study finds -; increases in overdoses, including those that are fatal.

12 Jun 2023

Researchers test a new way to deliver mental health therapy to people with addiction, aggressive behavior

Researchers from five colleges at Rochester Institute of Technology are testing a new way to deliver mental health therapy to people struggling with alcohol/drug addiction and aggressive behavior.

12 Jun 2023

Reentry services for incarcerated people with substance use disorder may lower post-release risks

Contrary to expectations, the risk for relapses, overdoses and deaths related to substance use disorder didn't increase after a large-scale prison release in New Jersey, according to a Rutgers study.

2 Jun 2023

Understanding factors associated with long-term opioid use in fibromyalgia patients

Fibromyalgia is common, affecting around 2% of people in the general population. The 2017 EULAR recommendations state that tramadol - a weak opioid - may be considered for pain management in fibromyalgia, but advise against use of strong opioids due to lack of evidence of efficacy, and the high risk of side effects and addiction.

2 Jun 2023

Study analyzes the effects of state-level policies on use of anti-opioid medication

States that want to increase access to buprenorphine, a lifesaving medication used to treat opioid use disorder, should consider efforts to enhance professional education and clinician knowledge, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

26 May 2023

Novel gene-editing strategy harnesses an unusual protective ability to eliminate HIV-1 infection

Genetic alterations that give rise to a rare, fatal disorder known as MOGS-CDG paradoxically also protect cells against infection by viruses.

19 May 2023

State lawmakers eye forced treatment to address overlap in homelessness and mental illness

Many of the unhoused people in Portland, Oregon, live in tents pitched on sidewalks or in aging campers parked in small convoys behind grocery stores.

17 May 2023

Ketogenic diet's surprising impact on opioid sensitivity and withdrawal

Research investigates the effects of a ketogenic diet (KD) on responses to oxycodone, a commonly prescribed opioid for pain management. The study found sex-biased effects of KD on oxycodone responses in mice, suggesting potential implications for clinical pain management and treatment of opioid use disorder.

10 May 2023

Mental disorders in adults aged 20–39 years linked to elevated risk of heart attack and stroke

Adults in their 20s and 30s with mental disorders have an up to three-fold elevated likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, according to a study in more than 6.5 million individuals published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology.

9 May 2023

Disparities in brain development of children can be mitigated through anti-poverty programs

States that provide stronger social safety nets have lower socioeconomic disparities in the brain development and mental health of children 9 to 11 years old, according to research supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health.

2 May 2023