Search

Objectives Pain catastrophizing (PC) is a cognitive/emotional response to and in anticipation of pain that can be maladaptive, further exacerbating pain and difficulty in emotion regulation (ER). There is a lack of research on the interplay between PC and ER and its impact on pain. Our aim was to investigate whether ER exacerbated the pain experience through PC. Methods Adults with chronic non-cancer pain of >3 months' duration (n  = 150) who were taking opioid medication were recruited from a large medical center in Pennsylvania. A battery of questionnaires was conducted to gather data on demographics, substance use, mental health histories, and health and pain outcomes. Measures used included the 18-Item Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, the Brief Pain Inventory–Short Form, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. A structural equation model with latent variables was conducted to examine our aim. Results Both pain interference and severity were significantly positively associated with several psychosocial variables, such as anxiety, depression, ER constructs, PC, and distress intolerance. The associations between subscales and pain interference were larger than the associations between subscales and pain severity. PC fully mediated the paths from ER to pain experiences. Discussion Our results highlight the importance of several cognitive and emotional constructs: nonacceptance of negative emotions, lack of emotional awareness, magnification of the pain experience, and a sense of helplessness. Furthermore, by showing the indirect effects of PC in affecting ER and pain, we posit that ER, mediated by PC, might serve a critical role in influencing the pain experience in patients with chronic pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Patient navigation (PN) may benefit pregnant individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) by improving treatment adherence. We examined participant enrollment, session delivery and assessment feasibility for a PN intervention among pregnant participants and compared PN preliminary effectiveness for OUD treatment engagement with participants in usual care (UC). Design: This study was a pilot single‐blinded multi‐site randomized trial. Setting: Two academic medical centers in Pennsylvania (n = 57) and Utah (n = 45), United States participated. Participants: One hundred and two pregnant adult participants unestablished (fewer than 6 weeks) on medication for OUD (MOUD) were randomized to PN (n = 53) or UC (n = 49). Intervention: PN was composed of 10 prenatal sessions (delivered after baseline but before the prenatal assessments) and four postnatal sessions (delivered before the 2‐ and 6‐month postpartum assessments) focused upon OUD treatment and physical/mental health needs. UC involved brief case management. Measurements Feasibility assessments included consent, session delivery and assessment rates. Mixed‐effect models for intent‐to‐treat (ITT) and per protocol (PP, received six or more sessions) populations were estimated to compare outcomes of MOUD use, secondary outcomes of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment attendance and non‐prescribed opioid use, and exploratory outcome of overdose at baseline, predelivery and 2 and 6 months postpartum. Findings We consented 87% (106 of 122) of the proposed target, delivered ~60% of sessions delivered and completed ≥ 75% assessments. PN ITT and PP had better MOUD adherence, SUD treatment attendance, non‐prescribed opioid use and overdose outcomes than UC. Notable changes included good evidence for greater percentage change in days for PN PP MOUD use from baseline to 2 months postpartum [PN = 28.0 versus UC = −10.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 9.7, 62.1] and some evidence for baseline to 6 months postpartum (PN = 45.4 versus UC = 23.4, 95% CI = −0.7, 48.2). PN PP percentage change in days for SUD treatment attendance also showed good evidence for improvements from baseline to prenatal assessment (PN = 7.4 versus UC = −21.3, 95% CI = 3.3, 53.5). PN compared to UC participants reported fewer overdoses at 2 months (PN = 11.9%/UC = 16.1%) and at 6 months postpartum (PN = 3.8%/UC = 6.2%). Conclusions: Patient navigation appears to be associated with improvements in opioid use disorder treatment engagement and overdoses during pregnancy. This pilot trial shows the feasibility of the intervention and a future large‐scale trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The opioid crisis is a public health emergency in the United States, particularly in rural Pennsylvania. Stigma in rural communities is a treatment barrier and impacts harm reduction programming availability. Objectives: The current study utilized an observational, cross-sectional design to examine latent subgroups of stigma and differences in support for harm reduction strategies (i.e., safe injection facilities, syringe services programs, fentanyl test strips, Naloxone distribution). Participants included rural Pennsylvanians (n = 252), taken from a statewide survey of opioid use disorder (OUD) stigma. Participants reported OUD public stigma (i.e., attitudes/perceptions about OUD, willingness to engage with individuals with OUD) and support for harm reduction strategies. Results: Latent class analysis identified 4 stigma classes: 1) high stigma (HS), 2) high judgment/low stigmatizing behavior (HJ/LB), 3) high stigmatizing behavior/low stigmatizing attitude (HB/LA), and 4) low stigma (LS). ANCOVAs identified subgroup differences in harm reduction support. The HS group indicated less support for safe injection sites, syringe services programs, and fentanyl test strips, compared to the HB/LA and LS groups. The HS group indicated less support for Naloxone distribution compared to the HJ/LB, HB/LA, and LS groups. Lastly, the HJ/LB group indicated less support for each program compared to the LS group. Conclusions/Importance: Findings highlight that OUD stigma profiles differ across rural Pennsylvania and are associated with varying support for harm reduction strategies. Individuals with less stigma report more support for harm reduction strategies. Interventions to implement harm reduction strategies should consider varying levels of stigma and use a targeted approach to inform implementation and messaging strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Southeastern, 741-bed acute care, Magnet designated teaching hospital and level III B NICU identified assessment and treatment concerns for Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS). In March 2020, a quality improvement project led to a multidisciplinary team formation to determine the effectiveness of the Eat, Sleep, Console (ESC) model of care in reducing the length of treatment (LOT) and length of stay (LOS) for neonates experiencing NOWS rather than use of the Finnegan Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Scoring tool. The results concluded a decrease in the average LOT from 19.2 to 2.5 days and the average LOS from 23.9 to 9.3 days for those admitted directly into the ESC model of care on postpartum vs previous direct admission to the NICU. A group samples t- test showed there was a statistically significant decrease in LOS for ESC patients (p <.001) and LOT for ESC patients (p <.001). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite evidence supporting HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) effectiveness, very few women with opioid use disorder (OUD) take PrEP. Interventions that improve medication assisted treatment (MAT) uptake and adherence may also be beneficial for PrEP. The reSET-O mobile phone app is a component of the evidence-based Therapeutic Education System, which improves retention and abstinence for people with OUD. To better understand use of this mobile health tool as a support for PrEP among women with OUD, pre-implementation contextual inquiry is needed. Therefore, we set out to assess target user characteristics, implementation barriers, feasibility, and acceptability of reSET-O. We recruited women with OUD receiving care from a community-based organization in Philadelphia to complete semi-structured interviews. All participants were prescribed reSET-O. We interviewed 20 participants (average age 37 years; 70% white, 15% Hispanic, 5% Black) from 5/2021 to 2/2022. We used an integrated analysis approach combining modified grounded theory and implementation science constructs. Half reported recent injection drug use, and 6 were taking buprenorphine. Mental health symptoms were common, and half described engaging in transactional sex. The majority expressed strong interest in PrEP. Participants reported the app would be highly acceptable for PrEP and MAT adherence support, but only two redeemed the prescription. The most common barriers included phone and internet access. Our findings highlight potential implementation challenges for the use of such an app to support PrEP use in this population. Poor uptake of the app at follow-up indicates that initial prescription redemption is a major barrier to reSET-O implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Opioid prescription after cesarean delivery is excessive and can lead to chronic opioid use disorder. We assessed the impact of an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway on inpatient opioid consumption after cesarean delivery. Study Design An ERAS pathway was implemented as a quality improvement initiative in December 2019. Preintervention (PRE) data were collected from March to May 2019 to assess baseline opioid consumption. Postintervention (POST) data were collected from January to March 2020. The primary outcome was inpatient postoperative opioid consumption in morphine milligram equivalents (MME). Secondary outcomes included the consumption of any opioids, postpartum length of stay, and opioid prescription at discharge. Results A total of 92 women were in the PRE group and 91 were in the POST group. Inpatient opioid consumption decreased by 87.3% from PRE to POST, from 124.7 (interquartile range [IQR]: 10–181.6) MME to 15.8 (IQR: 0–75) MME (p < 0.001). There was no difference in median postpartum length of stay (3.4 days PRE vs. 3.3 days POST; p = 0.12). The proportion of women who did not consume any opioids increased by 75.4% from PRE to POST (p = 0.02). The proportion of women discharged with an opioid prescription decreased by 25.6% from PRE to POST (p = 0.007), despite no formal change to prescribing practices. After adjustment for differences in race/ethnicity and gravidity, there was still a reduction in total inpatient opioid consumption (p < 0.001) and an increase in the proportion of women not consuming any opioids (adjusted relative risk (RR): 2.14, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.18–3.87), but the difference in rate of prescription of opioids at discharge was no longer statistically significant (adjusted RR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.48–1.02). Conclusion Adoption of an ERAS pathway for cesarean delivery resulted in a marked reduction in inpatient opioid consumption. Such a pathway can be implemented across institutions and may be a powerful tool in combating the opioid epidemic. Key Points ERAS after cesarean reduces inpatient opioid consumption. ERAS after cesarean increases the proportion of women not consuming any opioids. This pathway can be feasibly adopted elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pregnancy and early parenthood can be challenging transitional times for many families, especially those struggling with opioid use disorder (OUD). Over 8 million children live with a parent with SUD and parental drug use has been attributed to rising rates of family instability and child welfare involvement (Lipari & Van Horn, 2017; AFCARS, 2020;). Community-based prevention programming for families with young children, such as evidence-based maternal and child home visiting (EBHV), may we well positioned to engage and support families impacted by the opioid epidemic through early childhood. This paper presents case studies to highlight promising practices for adapting EBHV models to families impacted by SUD from the perspectives of staff and administrators. Methods: Data from three pilot sites are presented as case studies. These sites were selected to represent the most innovative and developed adaptations to EBHV for families impacted by substance use from an implementation evaluation of state-funded pilot sites (N = 20) at existing home visiting agencies across Pennsylvania. Data reported here represent semi-structured interviews with 11 individuals. Data were coded to facilitators and barriers nodes to understand the process and impact of pilot implementation. Results: Systems-level collaboration and coordination were key to serving a population already engaged in multiple systems. Engagement of substance use experts allowed home visitors to focus on delivery of evidence-based curricula supporting family stability and child development. External partnerships reduced stigma among home visitors. Across sites, staff struggled with the increased acuity of social complexity of the OUD population. Conclusions for Practice: Pregnancy and early parenthood are challenging transitional times for many families, especially those with OUD. Evaluation results demonstrate the promise of systems-based adaptations to community-based prevention programming for families with young children, such as maternal and child home visiting, to better support families impacted by SUD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Against the backdrop of the U.S. opioid epidemic, there has been a concerted movement to improve access to buprenorphine maintenance therapy (BMT). In Pennsylvania, where overdose mortality increased 65% between 2015 and 2017, over $75 million has been appropriated toward BMT since 2016. Concurrently, efforts to increase BMT availability while lowering barriers to entry have given way to fears of increased diversion and illegitimate patients. Little is known about the circumstances and motivations that surround buprenorphine diversion, particularly within the context of treatment expansion. Drawing on 27 in-depth interviews with individuals who reported sharing or selling buprenorphine in the past year, in this study we consider the relationship between treatment access, treatment experiences, and individuals' decision to divert buprenorphine, while further comparing motivations for buprenorphine diversion across two Pennsylvania counties with disparate levels of BMT availability. We identify four styles of buprenorphine diversion ("ad hoc sellers," "concerned suppliers," "social sharers," "professional dealers"), with different levels of representation by county. Overall, our analysis found the explicit economic exploitation of BMT was rare, while a plurality of participants reported selling unwanted or unneeded buprenorphine only when presented with an opportunity. Across our typology, market demand in the form of unmet need for buprenorphine was the major driver of diversion, suggesting that "supply-side interventions" intended to again limit access to BMT may be counterproductive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate existing practice patterns and potential barriers to implementing opioid stewardship protocols after robot-assisted prostatectomies among providers in the Pennsylvania Urology Regional Collaborative.Methods: The Pennsylvania Urology Regional Collaborative (PURC) is a voluntary quality improvement initiative of 11 academic and community urology practices in Pennsylvania and New Jersey representing 97 urologists. PURC distributed a web-based survey of 24 questions, with 74 respondents, including 56 attendings, 11 residents, and 7 advanced practice providers.Results: More pills were prescribed if there was a default number of pills from the electronic health record (median 30) then if the number of pills was manually placed (P = .01). Only 8% discussed how to dispose of opioids with their patients, and less than a third of respondents discussed postoperative pain expectations or risks of opioid use. Patient level risk factors were often not reviewed, as 42% did not ask about previous opioid exposure.Conclusion: This study revealed extensive knowledge disparities among providers about opioid stewardship and significant gaps in the evidence-to-practice continuum of care. In the next year, PURC will be implementing targeted interventions to augment provider education, establish clear pathways for opioid disposal, improve utilization of known resources and implement opioid reduction protocols in all participating sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We performed a retrospective cohort study that aimed to identify one or more groups that followed a pattern of chronic, high prescription use and quantify individuals’ time-dependent probabilities of belonging to a high-utilizer group. We analyzed data from 52,456 adults age 18–45 who enrolled in Medicaid from 2009–2017 in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania who filled at least one prescription for an opioid analgesic. We used group-based trajectory modeling to identify groups of individuals with distinct patterns of prescription opioid use over time. We found the population to be comprised of three distinct trajectory groups. The first group comprised 83% of the population and filled few, if any, opioid prescriptions after their index prescription. The second group (12%) initially filled an average of one prescription per month, but declined over two years to near-zero. The third group (6%) demonstrated sustained high opioid prescriptions utilization. Using individual patients’ posterior probability of membership in the high utilization group, which can be updated iteratively over time as new information become available, we defined a sensitive threshold predictive of sustained future opioid utilization. We conclude that individuals at risk of sustained opioid utilization can be identified early in their clinical course from limited observational data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pennsylvania saw a dramatic increase in take-home doses of methadone after the COVID-19 pandemic-related relaxation in regulations. We evaluated whether pandemic-initiated relaxation in take-home methadone dose regulations was associated with changes in attrition and urine drug test (UDT) results at one outpatient opioid treatment program (OTP) among adult patients treated with methadone for opioid use disorder (OUD). We analyzed aggregated, retrospective clinical practice data, using data abstracted from the OTP's electronic health record (EHR) on the number of patients treated with methadone, those allowed take-home doses, the number of take-home methadone doses dispensed, and the number and type of patient discharge ("attrition") from treatments for 12 months before (March 2019–February 2020; "pre-pandemic") and 12 months after (March 2020–February 2021; "pandemic") the regulatory changes took place. We also examined monthly aggregate data on the number of urine samples testing positive for amphetamines, cocaine, benzodiazepines or illicit opioids, and compared these findings between the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods. Pre-pandemic, 229 patients were treated with methadone, compared to 278 patients during the pandemic period. They received 11,047 and 28,563 take-home daily-doses of methadone (p < 0.0001) during each assessment period, respectively. All-cause treatment attrition (discharge from the program for any reason) decreased from 27.1 % in the pre-pandemic to 15.5 % in the pandemic period (p < 0.001). Compared to pre-pandemic, during the pandemic period the urine toxicology testing showed reduced positivity rates for cocaine (26.4 % vs 18.9 %, p < 0.001), and oxycodone and morphine (1.8 % vs 1.1 %, p < 0.019), and increased for fentanyl (24.0 % vs 30.5 %, p < 0.007), without statistically significant changes for benzodiazepines or amphetamines. The relaxation of regulations guiding take-home methadone doses accompanied reduced treatment attrition and favorable changes in urine toxicology results in one OTP. Allowing OTPs to apply flexible decisions regarding take-home methadone doses could improve treatment retention, outcomes, and, in turn, save lives. • The COVID-19 pandemic led to increases in allowable take home doses in Pennsylvania. • One OTP found that those increases were associated with decreased attrition rates. • Increased take home doses were not associated with increased illicit stimulant use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The opioid epidemic has exacted a significant toll in rural areas, yet adoption of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) lags. The Rural Access to Medication Assisted Treatment in Pennsylvania (RAMP) Project facilitated adoption of MOUD in rural primary care clinics. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the barriers and facilitators operating at multiple levels to access or provide MOUD in rural Pennsylvania. In total, the study conducted 35 semi-structured interviews with MOUD patients and MOUD providers participating in RAMP. Qualitative analysis incorporated both deductive and inductive approaches. The study team coded interviews and performed thematic analysis. Using a modified social-ecological framework, themes from the qualitative interviews are organized in five nested levels: individual, interpersonal, health care setting, community, and public policy. Patients and providers agreed on many barriers (e.g., lack of providers, lack of transportation, insufficient rapport and trust in patient-provider relationship, and cost, etc.); however, their interpretation of the barrier, or indicated solution, diverged in meaningful ways. Patients described their experiences in broad terms pointing to the social determinants of health, as they highlighted their lives outside of the therapeutic encounter in the clinic. Providers focused on their professional roles, responsibilities, and operations within the primary care setting. Providers may want to discuss barriers to treatment related to social determinants of health with patients, and pursue partnerships with organizations that seek to address those barriers. The findings from these interviews point to potential opportunities to enhance patient experience, increase access to and optimize processes for MOUD in rural areas, and reduce stigma against people with opioid use disorder (OUD) in the wider community. • Patient and provider perceived barriers and facilitators to MOUD. • Patients described experiences outside of the therapeutic encounter. • Providers focused on roles and operations within the primary care setting. • Recommend addressing barriers related to the social determinants of health (SDOH). • Recommend providers pursue partnership with organizations addressing SDOH barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mortality due to opioid misuse and overdose has increased substantially in the United States over the past two decades. The study objective was to describe the causes of death among persons with opioid-related hospitalizations and examine survival by Hepatitis C virus (HCV) or HIV. Opioid-related hospitalization records in Pennsylvania from 2000 to 2010 were linked to death registry files to assess cause of death, and survival from first hospital discharge date to death date, or December 31, 2010. Accelerated failure time models were used to compare survival between persons with and without HCV or HIV diagnoses. Among the 136,416 individuals with an opioid-related hospitalization, 13.0% died over a median of 56 months of follow-up; the most common causes of death were circulatory diseases (26.4%) and drug overdose (23.5%). There were 27,122 (19.9%) and 3662 (2.7%) persons who had an HCV and HIV diagnosis, respectively. Among patients aged ≥20 years, those with HCV had shorter survival time compared to those without HCV, with discrepancies more pronounced at older ages. Patients with HIV also had shorter survival time (time ratio: 0.29 [95% CI: 0.26, 0.34]) compared to without HIV. These findings show that in a cohort of patients with opioid-related hospitalizations, those with HCV or HIV diagnoses have shorter survival. This has public health implications, providing further evidence that medical providers should educate patients who use opioids about the risks of HCV and HIV infection and focus prevention and treatment to decrease mortality among patients hospitalized for opioid use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In Philadelphia, the poorest big city in the United States, an estimated 60,000 people misuse opioids and more than 3500 have died of overdose in the past three years. In 2019, fentanyl was detected in 76% of drug-related deaths and 94% of opioid-involved deaths. While much attention has been directed at the public face of the city's drug problem, more than 75% of drug deaths in 2017 took place in a private residence.Method: Based on qualitative research to understand the vulnerabilities of this hidden population of drug users, we interviewed kin of 35 people who had died of opioid overdose in 2017 to learn whether their loved one had interacted with any social services or harm-reduction interventions.Results: In our demographically and geographically representative sample of decedents, we found that while most had received treatment at least once, many faced barriers to getting treatment when they needed it, including barriers related to stigma, structural racism, gender inequities, bureaucracy, insurance requirements, and cost.Conclusion: We argue that these barriers place an undue burden on people with substance use disorder and their kin during particularly fraught moments of heightened vulnerability. The failure of state and federal policies, practices, and infrastructure to address these barriers, and the failure to require that evidence-based care be provided during treatment have deleterious effects on people affected by the opioid epidemic in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drugs contributing to overdose deaths are listed on death certificates, but their validity is rarely studied. To assess the accuracy of "morphine" and "codeine" listings on death certificates for unintentional overdose deaths in Allegheny County, PA, investigative and laboratory reports were reviewed. Deaths were reclassified as heroin-related if documentation showed 6-monoacetylmorphine in blood or urine, "stamp bags" or drug paraphernalia at scene, history of heroin use, or track marks. Deaths were considered morphine-related if notes indicated morphine use, prescription, or morphine at scene, or codeine-related if the codeine blood level exceeded morphine. Of 112 deaths with morphine but not heroin listed on the death certificate, 74 met heroin criteria and 21 morphine criteria. Of 20 deaths with both morphine and heroin listed, only one met morphine criteria. Of 34 deaths with codeine listed, only five were attributed to codeine. Consideration of patient history, death scene evidence, and expanded toxicology testing may improve the accuracy of death certificate drug listings., (© 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.)