Substance Use Disorder News and Research

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Other forms of treatments are as effective as opioids for acute musculoskeletal injuries

Two new evidence reviews related to acute musculoskeletal injuries like strains and sprains suggest other forms of treatments are as effective as opioids and have less risk of harms to patients.

18 Aug 2020

AI algorithm could help predict susceptibility to substance abuse among homeless youth

While many programs and initiatives have been implemented to address the prevalence of substance abuse among homeless youth in the United States, they don't always include data-driven insights about environmental and psychological factors that could contribute to an individual's likelihood of developing a substance use disorder.

14 Aug 2020

Boston Medical Center receives $3.7 million grant to expand fellowship programs in addiction

Boston Medical Center's Grayken Center for Addiction has received a five-year, $3.7 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration to expand its fellowship programs in addiction medicine and addiction psychiatry.

12 Aug 2020

First-time opioid prescriptions may lead to substance-related problems later in life

Young adults and adolescents who are prescribed opioids for the first time may be at a slightly greater risk of developing a substance-related problem later in life, according to a new study co-authored by Indiana University researchers.

11 Aug 2020

Opioid initiation risk in young adults, adolescents may not be as high as previously thought

10 Aug 2020

NIDA funding allows Temple scientists to continue critical substance abuse research

Substance abuse is a major public health problem in the United States, with some 21 million Americans diagnosed with at least one substance use disorder.

27 Jul 2020

Report highlights the need to improve quality of care for high-risk veterans

Veterans who have served in the U.S. military since the 9/11 attacks have a high level of need for both substance use treatment and mental health care, yet many do not receive appropriate help for their co-occurring disorders, according to a new RAND Corporation report.

22 Jul 2020

Many private post-acute care facilities explicitly discriminate patients with substance use disorder

A new study shows that 29 percent of private post-acute care facilities in Massachusetts explicitly discriminated against hospitalized individuals with opioid use disorder, rejecting their referral for admission.

16 Jul 2020

ATS releases new practice guideline on treating tobacco dependence in adult smokers

Smoking cessation initiatives notwithstanding, along with provocative public health campaigns and clinical guidance, quitting tobacco has remained elusive for many smokers.

15 Jul 2020

Coronavirus crisis disrupts treatment for another epidemic: Addiction

Shawn Hayes was thankful to be holed up at a city-run hotel for people with COVID-19.

6 Jul 2020

Oral antibiotic therapy can effectively treat infections in people who inject illicit drugs

People who inject illicit drugs can develop potentially deadly infections of the heart, blood, joints and soft tissues.

17 Jun 2020

Study shows how psychedelic drug psilocybin works in the brain

Perhaps no region of the brain is more fittingly named than the claustrum, taken from the Latin word for "hidden or shut away."

5 Jun 2020

Pandemic presents new hurdles, and hope, for people struggling with addiction

Before Philadelphia shut down to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Ed had a routine: most mornings he would head to a nearby McDonald’s to brush his teeth, wash his face and — when he had the money — buy a cup of coffee.

2 Jun 2020

Study finds large racial/ethnic differences in use of medication for OUD during pregnancy

Black non-Hispanic and Hispanic women with opioid use disorder are significantly less likely to receive or to consistently use any medication to treat their opioid use disorder during pregnancy than their white non-Hispanic counterparts, according to a new study from Massachusetts General Hospital.

27 May 2020

Brief intervention effective in preventing increased and riskier drug use

Individuals who used drugs occasionally reported less use six months after a motivational interview with a health professional, while individuals who did not receive the intervention reported more use.

11 May 2020

Study: Scant proportion of hospitalized patients with opioid use disorder receive treatment

Despite a national opioid-related overdose epidemic that continues to claim tens of thousands of lives annually, a new nationwide study shows that a scant proportion of hospitalized patients with opioid use disorder receive proven life-saving medications both during and after they're discharged.

8 May 2020

Pharmacy-level barriers limit treatment for opioid use disorder in Appalachian Kentucky

A new study led by University of Kentucky researcher April Young and Emory University researcher Hannah Cooper shows that a number of pharmacies in the Appalachian region of Kentucky are limiting the dispensing of buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder.

28 Apr 2020

C2C receives competitive grant to help address opioid crisis

Keep people alive. Refer them to those who save lives. Finally, connect them to effective, peer-based treatment.

27 Apr 2020

Study: Multidimensional approach works best for tackling nonmedical drug use

Health practitioners are constantly developing new ways to help those with drug and alcohol addictions wean themselves from their substance of choice.

25 Apr 2020

What are the side effects of social and physical distancing?

Researchers Sandro Galea from the Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Raina M. Merchant, from the Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, and Nicole Lurie, from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. Oslo, Norway, published an opinion paper in the JAMA Internal Medicine titled, “The Mental Health Consequences of COVID-19 and Physical Distancing The Need for Prevention and Early Intervention”.

12 Apr 2020