Search

Background: There has been limited investigation into how social determinants of health impact treatment outcomes in patients with trigeminal neuralgia (TN). We aimed to investigate how social determinants of health may alter the course of clinical care for patients with TN., Methods: The electronic medical record was queried for patients with a diagnosis of TN comanaged by neurosurgeons and other facial pain specialists at our medical center. Area Deprivation Index served as a proxy for socioeconomic status (SES). Multivariable linear regression models were performed using RStudio to assess the impact of social determinants on the time to neurosurgical referral and surgical intervention., Results: A total of 229 patients (mean age 50 years, 74% female) were included. Of these, 135 (60%) patients underwent a neurosurgical procedure after referral, the most common being microvascular decompression (n = 84, 62%) (Table 1). Most of the patients were white (76.3%) and insured by Medicare (51.8%), followed by private insurance (38.6%). Age and sex were significant predictors of time to neurosurgical referral after symptom onset, as older patients (P < 0.01, Figure 3) and females (P = 0.02) tended to have a greater delay between symptom onset and specialist referral. Race, SES, and insurance status were not significantly associated with time-to-referral or time-to-treatment., Conclusion: This study found that older and female patients with TN had a longer time from symptom onset to specialist referral. Based on these data, there is no association between race, SES, and insurance status with time-to-referral or time-to-treatment in patients with TN., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: The prevalence of deaths involving synthetic opioids has historically been lower in Texas than most U.S. states but more than quadrupled from January 2020 to January 2022. This paper explores the emergence of fentanyl in a drug supply where black tar heroin predominates, a factor considered protective against fentanyl adulteration, through the perspectives of people who use drugs (PWUD)., Objectives: We describe experiences of unintentional exposure to fentanyl, illustrate how some people identify fentanyl in their supply, and present harm reduction strategies that PWUD use to avoid overdose., Methods: Thirty rapid assessment interviews were conducted in July 2021 at 2 mobile outreach sites of a harm reduction organization in Austin, Texas. The brief semistructured interviews were designed to assess participant fentanyl exposure experiences., Results: Participants were clients who reported using heroin or fentanyl in the past week and had lived in Texas for at least 6 months. Seventeen participants identified as male, 10 as female, and 3 as nonbinary. Half identified as white; other participants were Latinx (6), black (2), American Indian (1), and mixed race (6). Two-thirds were unhoused or in transitional housing. The drug supply in Texas has evolved; most participants reported that the heroin and other drugs they obtained contain fentanyl. Participants detected differences by observing changes in the physical characteristics of the drug, experiencing unexpected effects, and using fentanyl test strips. Many had been unintentionally exposed to fentanyl and expressed concerns about fentanyl's presence. The presence of fentanyl had negative unintended consequences for participants, including adverse effects and developing a dependence on opioids., Conclusion: PWUD in Austin, Texas, report increasing prevalence of unintentional fentanyl exposure, despite the predominance of black tar heroin. Pharmacists can provide crucial supplies and education to safeguard the health of this vulnerable population., (Copyright © 2022 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)