TY - JOUR
KW - COVID-19
KW - Harm Reduction
KW - Humans
KW - Opiate Substitution Treatment
KW - Opioid-Related Disorders/drug therapy
KW - Pandemics/prevention & control
KW - Community Health Services
KW - local health departments
KW - opioid epidemic
AU - W. L. Swann
AU - T. L. Schreiber
AU - S . Y. Kim
AU - H. McNeely
AU - J. H. Hong
A1 - 
AB - Background: US local health departments (LHDs) have faced the COVID-19 pandemic and the opioid epidemic simultaneously. This article investigates the perceived impact of COVID-19 on the continuation of locally available services for addressing opioid use disorder (OUD). Methods: A national survey of US LHDs was conducted from November to December 2020. The survey asked key personnel in LHDs about the availability of OUD services in their jurisdiction, and how COVID-19 impacted such availability (i.e., whether terminated or continued at a reduced, the same, or an increased level after the arrival of COVID-19). Proportions for each impact category were estimated for prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery services. Logistic regression tested for rural-urban and regional differences in perceived service impact. Results: An 11.4% (214 out of 1873) response rate was attained. Of the returned surveys, 187 were used in the analysis. Reported terminations were generally low, especially for treatment services. School-based prevention initiatives had the highest termination rate (17.2%, 95% CI = 11.4-25.1%). Prevention services had the highest proportions for continuing at a reduced level, except for recovery mutual help programs (53.9%, 95% CI = 45.2-62.4%). LHDs reported continuing services at an increased level at a higher frequency than terminating. Notably, 72.2% (95% CI = 62.7-80.0%) continued telehealth/telemedicine options for OUD at an increased level, and 23.8% (95% CI = 17.8-31.1%) and 10.0% (95% CI = 5.7-16.7%) reported doing the same for naloxone distribution and medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), respectively. More harm reduction services were continued at the same versus at a reduced level. Service continuation differed little between rural-urban LHDs or by region. Conclusions: The impacts of COVID-19 on OUD service availability in LHD jurisdictions may depend on the specific area of opioid response while the long-term consequences of these changes remain unknown.
AD - School of Public Affairs, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA.; The Schreiber Research Group, Denver, Colorado, USA.; School of Public Affairs, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA.; The Schreiber Research Group, Denver, Colorado, USA.; School of Public Affairs, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA.
BT - Substance abuse
C5 - Education & Workforce; Healthcare Disparities; Opioids & Substance Use
CP - 1
CY - United States
DO - 10.1080/08897077.2022.2060429
IS - 1
JF - Substance abuse
LA - eng
M1 - Journal Article
N2 - Background: US local health departments (LHDs) have faced the COVID-19 pandemic and the opioid epidemic simultaneously. This article investigates the perceived impact of COVID-19 on the continuation of locally available services for addressing opioid use disorder (OUD). Methods: A national survey of US LHDs was conducted from November to December 2020. The survey asked key personnel in LHDs about the availability of OUD services in their jurisdiction, and how COVID-19 impacted such availability (i.e., whether terminated or continued at a reduced, the same, or an increased level after the arrival of COVID-19). Proportions for each impact category were estimated for prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery services. Logistic regression tested for rural-urban and regional differences in perceived service impact. Results: An 11.4% (214 out of 1873) response rate was attained. Of the returned surveys, 187 were used in the analysis. Reported terminations were generally low, especially for treatment services. School-based prevention initiatives had the highest termination rate (17.2%, 95% CI = 11.4-25.1%). Prevention services had the highest proportions for continuing at a reduced level, except for recovery mutual help programs (53.9%, 95% CI = 45.2-62.4%). LHDs reported continuing services at an increased level at a higher frequency than terminating. Notably, 72.2% (95% CI = 62.7-80.0%) continued telehealth/telemedicine options for OUD at an increased level, and 23.8% (95% CI = 17.8-31.1%) and 10.0% (95% CI = 5.7-16.7%) reported doing the same for naloxone distribution and medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), respectively. More harm reduction services were continued at the same versus at a reduced level. Service continuation differed little between rural-urban LHDs or by region. Conclusions: The impacts of COVID-19 on OUD service availability in LHD jurisdictions may depend on the specific area of opioid response while the long-term consequences of these changes remain unknown.
PP - United States
PY - 2022
SN - 1547-0164; 0889-7077
SP - 993
EP - 998
EP - 
T1 - Perceived impact of COVID-19 on prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery services for opioid use disorder: National survey of local health departments
T2 - Substance abuse
TI - Perceived impact of COVID-19 on prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery services for opioid use disorder: National survey of local health departments
U1 - Education & Workforce; Healthcare Disparities; Opioids & Substance Use
U2 - 35435800
U3 - 10.1080/08897077.2022.2060429
VL - 43
VO - 1547-0164; 0889-7077
Y1 - 2022
ER -