SAj Blog Archives - Page 19 of 88

The Authors’ Own Words: Alcohol sales during COVID-19 social restrictions: Initial evidence from Alcoholic Beverage Control states

Jan 31, 2022 by AMERSA

In this report from Cory M. Morton, PhD, MSW, Dr. Morton shares findings from a study which examines alcohol sales data to ascertain how individuals are interacting with alcohol during the pandemic.

“This study used monthly off premises alcohol sales data to investigate whether alcohol sales have been higher during the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared to sales from 2015-2019, alcohol sales during the COVID-19 pandemic have been between 44 (March 2020) and 14% (August 2020) higher. Systems of substance misuse treatment and prevention should be prepared for increases in treatment need and alcohol-related harms as the confluence of social isolation and stress-related drinking are related to unfavorable outcomes.”

You can read this commentary in SAj Volume 42, Issue 2 or online.

The Authors’ Own Words: It will End in Tiers: A Strategy to Include “Dabblers” in the Buprenorphine Workforce After the X-Waiver

Jan 29, 2022 by AMERSA

In this commentary, authors Brendan Saloner, PhD, Barbara Andraka Christou, PhD, JD, Adam J. Gordon , MD, MPH, and Bradley D. Stein, MD, PhD share their belief that the X-waiver will ultimately be repealed, but there is a need for a variety of strategies to create a new treatment system after the X-waiver. Building a new tier of treatment capacity will require educational outreach, systems strategies, and enhanced payments.

“A growing national movement is advocating for the elimination of the X-waiver, which could open the door to many more clinicians being able to prescribe buprenorphine. However, there is insufficient attention to how to incorporate these clinicians into the prescribing workforce. We argue that for the foreseeable future, clinicians with high-volume practices (“super-prescribers”) will lead the way, but there is a vital role to be played by clinicians who prescribe opportunistically or occasionally (“dabblers”). We outline a strategy focused on workforce development, systems of care, and payment that can help support this goal.”

You can read this commentary in SAj Volume 42, Issue 2 or online.

The Authors’ Own Words: A Health Crisis Within A Health Crisis: Opioid Access in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Jan 28, 2022 by AMERSA

In this commentary, Aditya Narayan, BS and Rajesh Balkrishnan, PhD draw attention to substance use and opioid access during the ongoing crisis, given the potential for breakdowns in treatment access for addiction, the growing concern of mental health comorbidities, and the lack of access for those who require opioids for adequate pain management. As well as offer policy and practice recommendations that may be implemented to provide more equitable distribution of care.

“We find ourselves embroiled in a pandemic that has deeply taxed our healthcare and broader societal infrastructures. To better serve patients who suffer from addiction, we have responded by creating a number of policy changes that move towards more equitable substance use care. In this commentary, we discuss further policy and practice changes that may be of interest to many working in the substance use space amidst the pandemic.”

You can read this commentary in SAj Volume 42, Issue 2 or online.

The Authors’ Own Words: “One size does not fit all” and other lessons learned from grants for implementation of the AHRQ Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in rural primary care

Jan 27, 2022 by AMERSA

Authors Parivash Nourjah, PhD and Elizabeth Kato, MD, MRP share lessons learned from five AHRQ grants to implement Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) in rural primary care practices. Lessons learned were extracted from quarterly and annual grantee progress reports, minutes from quarterly virtual meetings, and minutes and notes from annual grantee in-person meetings.

“The evidence is clear that medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) save lives; however, there are currently not nearly enough providers in rural areas who are able and willing to offer MOUD to all the patients who need it. Understanding the barriers which prevent primary care practices from offering MOUD to their patients and how to overcome those barriers could save millions of lives. This commentary highlights valuable lessons learned from studies across five states that implemented MOUD in rural primary care practices. Sharing these lessons could help other implementers successfully expand the availability of MOUD by showing them how to anticipate and overcome barriers to MOUD in rural primary care practices.”

You can read this commentary in SAj Volume 42, Issue 2 or online.

The Authors’ Own Words: Addiction Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine – Strange Bedfellows or Separated at Birth?

Jan 26, 2022 by AMERSA

Alëna A. Balasanova ,MD, Alexis D. Ritvo, MD, MPH, and Joel Yager, MD share their thoughts around their commentary published in in SAj last spring. In this commentary, the authors review skill sets, specialty training, and career outcomes for physicians specializing in the assessment and management of substance use disorders.

“This paper explores similarities and differences between the fields of addiction medicine and addiction psychiatry, discussing specialty training, board certification processes, and professional pathways. When considering consultation or referral to an addiction specialist, these descriptions may help clarify health professionals’ expectations and inform questions they might ask concerning physicians’ primary certification and scope of practice.”

You can read this commentary in SAj Volume 42, Issue 2 or online.