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The cost of opioid use disorder and the value of aversion

The objective of this study was twofold. First, to update and estimate the economic burden of opioid use disorder (OUD) to the U.S. from the perspectives of the healthcare sector, taxpayer, and society, overall and by age. Second, to estimate the mean present value of averting an OUD, overall and by age, for use in economic evaluations of prevention-focused interventions.

More than two-thirds of Americans don’t know how to properly dispose medications, new research reveals

Commissioned by Covanta and conducted by OnePoll in advance of the next National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in April, the study found nearly two-thirds (63%) of those surveyed dispose of old medications at home. For 59% of people, throwing old medications in the trash is an expedient way to dispose of old or expired medications, without giving much thought as to whether or not they will end up in a landfill. Likewise, 58% believe it’s fine to flush medications down the toilet or sink., where it can pollute water sources. To compound the issue, three out of four of those who dispose of medications in these ways do so despite knowing the potential environmental damage these methods pose to ground water and other water systems.

Results from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH): Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States

Read key findings from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) on substance use, mental health, and treatment by age group. Metrics in the report cover the civilian, noninstitutionalized US population ages 12 and older. Unlike other NSDUH Annual National Reports, the 2020 report has no comparisons to the previous year, because changes in survey methodology mean the indicators are not comparable to past NSDUH estimates.

College students rarely seek help despite serious substance use problems

The prevalence of substance use disorders (SUD) and aspects of the help-seeking process among a high-risk sample of 946 students at one large public university were assessed in personal interviews during the first 3 years of college. After statistically adjusting for purposive sampling, an estimated 46.8%(wt) of all third-year students met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria for SUD involving alcohol and/or marijuana at least once. Of 548 SUD cases, 3.6% perceived a need for help with substance use problems; 16.4% were encouraged by someone else to seek help. Help-seeking was rare among SUD cases (8.8%) but significantly elevated among individuals who perceived a need (90.0%) or experienced social pressures from parents (32.5%), friends (34.2%), or another person (58.3%). Resources accessed for help included educational programs (37.8%), health professionals (27.0%), and 12-step programs (18.9%). College students have high rates of substance use problems but rarely recognize a need for treatment or seek help. Results highlight the opportunity for early intervention with college students with SUD.

How People Obtain the Prescription Pain Relievers They Misuse

Conducted annually, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) provides nationally representative data on the use of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs; substance use disorders; mental health issues; and receipt of substance use and mental health treatment among the civilian, noninstitutionalized population aged 12 or older in the United States. NSDUH estimates allow researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and the general public to better understand and improve the nation’s behavioral health. These reports and detailed tables present estimates from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).

Medication-Assisted Treatment and Opioid Use Before and After Overdose in Pennsylvania

Doctor helping child with medication

For every fatal opioid overdose, there are approximately 30 nonfatal overdoses. Nonfatal overdoses that receive medical attention represent intervention opportunities for clinicians to mitigate risk by reducing opioid prescribing or advocating addiction treatment. Studies evaluating commercially insured patients suggest these potential interventions are underutilized. For example, a 2000-2012 study1 reported high rates of opioid prescribing for patients even after they had sustained a nonfatal opioid overdose. Another study of patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) showed low rates of buprenorphine treatment after hospitalization for overdose. However, little is known about how opioid prescribing and medication-assisted treatment (MAT) changes from before to after overdose among Medicaid enrollees, who have a 3-times higher risk of opioid overdose. We used data from a large Medicaid program to compare (1) prescription opioid use, (2) duration of opioid use, and (3) rates of MAT (buprenorphine, methadone, or naltrexone) among enrollees before and after an overdose event.

Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) presents Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) is an annual survey sponsored by SAMHSA, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The 2021 NSDUH used multimode data collection, in which 69,850 respondents aged 12 or older completed the survey in person or via the web.