Article
Economics
Abby Alpert, William N. Evans, Ethan M. J. Lieber, David Powell
Summary: This article examines the role of the introduction and marketing of OxyContin in 1996 as a potential leading cause of the opioid crisis. Through analyzing cross-state variation in exposure to OxyContin's introduction, it is found that triplicate states had lower OxyContin distribution and slower growth in overdose deaths, indicating that the introduction and marketing of OxyContin explain a substantial share of overdose deaths over the past two decades.
QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS
(2022)
Article
Ergonomics
Kari Cruz, Angela Deokar, Sara J. Feldman, Holly Patrick
Summary: The study analyzed the impact of CDC's Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention for States program on state public health departments, highlighting the challenges faced by some states and how they overcame them. The research emphasizes the importance of planning, utilizing existing resources, and maintaining prepared workforce for effectively advancing public health work.
JOURNAL OF SAFETY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wilson M. Compton, Rita J. Valentino, Robert L. DuPont
Summary: The U.S. opioid crisis is not limited to opioids, but also involves multiple substances. The overlap of different substances contributes to increased morbidity and mortality, and may have unique effects. Addressing the overlap between opioids and other substances is essential to maximize benefits in prevention, treatment, overdose reversal, public health surveillance, and research.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nora D. Volkow, Carlos Blanco
Summary: The current opioid epidemic in the US is one of the most severe public health crises in the country's history, and addressing it is challenging due to its rapidly changing nature and serious outcomes. Success in addressing the crisis will require advances in basic science, development of more acceptable and effective treatments, and implementation of public health approaches, including prevention. The progress made in addressing this crisis should also advance the science and treatment of other substance use disorders.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Sally L. Hodder, Judith Feinberg, Steffanie A. Strathdee, Steven Shoptaw, Frederick L. Altice, Louis Ortenzio, Chris Beyrer
Summary: The USA is facing a serious opioid epidemic and increasing rates of new HIV diagnoses. There have been demographic shifts in the population of people who inject drugs, with changes in racial and age distribution. Comprehensive healthcare services are needed to address the root causes and barriers.
Review
Physiology
Karan H. Muchhala, Joanna C. Jacob, Minho Kang, William L. Dewey, Hamid Akbarali
Summary: Bidirectional interactions between the gut epithelium and commensal bacteria are crucial for maintaining gut homeostasis. Chronic opioid exposure disrupts gut homeostasis through various neuro-immune-epithelial mechanisms, leading to the development of tolerance, a major factor in the current opioid crisis. The differences in molecular mechanisms of opioid tolerance between the enteric and central pain pathways present a significant challenge in managing chronic pain without adverse gastrointestinal effects.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Joaquin Navajas, Facundo Alvarez Heduan, Gerry Garbulsky, Enzo Tagliazucchi, Dan Ariely, Mariano Sigman
Summary: The research reveals that people's judgments on controversial actions related to the COVID-19 crisis are organized into two dimensions based on concerns for human life expectancy and the health of all sentient lives in an equitable manner. These patterns of responses are stronger in individuals who support utilitarian decisions, and the prioritization of public health is correlated with various contextual, personality, and demographic factors.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Cheryl L. Eschbach, Dawn A. Contreras, Lauren E. Kennedy
Summary: This article describes how a statewide community-based educational organization in Michigan has been able to acquire funding from various sources to support statewide projects and collaborations, resulting in improved awareness and access for individuals and healthcare organizations. By sharing their implementation of evidence-based health education programs, other states can adopt similar strategies for outreach in opioid misuse prevention and chronic pain self-management.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Substance Abuse
Michele J. Buonora, David B. Hanna, Chenshu Zhang, Marcus A. Bachhuber, Lorlette H. Moir, Pooja S. Salvi, Chinazo O. Cunningham, Joanna L. Starrels
Summary: This study examined the impact of opioid-prescribing policies in the United States on opioid overdose mortality. The findings suggest that policies focusing on prescriber training and limiting opioid dose can reduce prescription opioid overdose mortality, but have little effect on non-prescription opioid overdose mortality.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY
(2022)
Review
Anesthesiology
Daniel B. Larach, Jennifer M. Hah, Chad M. Brummett
Summary: This article summarizes current evidence on perioperative opioid prescription fulfillment and use, and discusses the role of personalized anesthesia care in mitigating opioid-related harms without compromising analgesia.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tse Yang Lim, Erin J. Stringfellow, Celia A. Stafford, Catherine DiGennaro, Jack B. Homer, Wayne Wakeland, Sara L. Eggers, Reza Kazemi, Lukas Glos, Emily G. Ewing, Calvin B. Bannister, Keith Humphreys, Douglas C. Throckmorton, Mohammad S. Jalali
Summary: The opioid crisis in the United States is a significant public health challenge, and addressing its complexity requires a quantitative systems model. The SOURCE model tracks the stages of opioid use, addiction treatment, and overdose death, providing insights into the historical trajectory of the crisis and informing policy planning.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Robin Cantor, Heather Bates, Claire MacKoul
Summary: This article examines signals related to opioid risks using the social amplification of risk framework (SARF) to evaluate its effectiveness in public risk management responses and similar societal risk problems. The study finds that SARF serves best as an organizational aid for historical information rather than a predictive tool for determining inappropriate risk management responses.
Editorial Material
Behavioral Sciences
Joseph Gregory Hobelmann, Andrew S. Huhn
Summary: Comprehensive pain treatment can reduce pain severity and improve functioning. It can be used to prevent non-medical opioid use and opioid use disorder in individuals with post-surgical pain. Additionally, it can help reduce or eliminate opioid medication use in patients with chronic pain on long-term opioid therapy.
BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR
(2021)
Article
Communication
Daniel E. Bergan, Alan Rojas, Ian Briggs, Emily Andersen
Summary: Several influential theories predict that dramatic policy change occurs when problems are reframed. However, there is little direct evidence of how framing messages influence policymaker attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors. In an online survey of local policymakers in Illinois, different media frames of the opiate epidemic were found to influence policymaker attitudes and attributions of responsibility. The study concludes with implications for framing theory and its role in theories of policymaking.
HEALTH COMMUNICATION
(2023)
Article
Education, Scientific Disciplines
Nora D. Volkow, Tom McLellan, Carlos Blanco
Summary: The United States is facing a devastating overdose and addiction crisis, with only a minority of people receiving treatment despite the existence of effective treatments. Academic medicine can help improve treatment outcomes by increasing the preparedness of the clinical workforce through training and research.
