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OBJECTIVE: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2022 Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain cautioned that inflexible opioid prescription duration limits may harm patients. Information about the relationship between initial opioid prescription duration and a subsequent refill could inform prescribing policies and practices to optimize patient outcomes. We assessed the association between initial opioid duration and an opioid refill prescription. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adults ≥19 years of age in 10 US health systems between 2013 and 2018 from outpatient care with a diagnosis for back pain without radiculopathy, back pain with radiculopathy, neck pain, joint pain, tendonitis/bursitis, mild musculoskeletal pain, severe musculoskeletal pain, urinary calculus, or headache. Generalized additive models were used to estimate the association between opioid days' supply and a refill prescription. RESULTS: Overall, 220,797 patients were prescribed opioid analgesics upon an outpatient visit for pain. Nearly a quarter (23.5%) of the cohort received an opioid refill prescription during follow-up. The likelihood of a refill generally increased with initial duration for most pain diagnoses. About 1 to 3 fewer patients would receive a refill within 3 months for every 100 patients initially prescribed 3 vs. 7 days of opioids for most pain diagnoses. The lowest likelihood of refill was for a 1-day supply for all pain diagnoses, except for severe musculoskeletal pain (9 days' supply) and headache (3-4 days' supply). CONCLUSIONS: Long-term prescription opioid use increased modestly with initial opioid prescription duration for most but not all pain diagnoses examined.
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Dolor Musculoesquelético , Radiculopatía , Adulto , Humanos , Analgésicos Opioides/uso terapéutico , Estudios Retrospectivos , Pacientes Ambulatorios , Dolor Musculoesquelético/diagnóstico , Dolor Musculoesquelético/tratamiento farmacológico , Prescripciones , Cefalea , Pautas de la Práctica en Medicina , Dolor de EspaldaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: In response to the opioid crisis in the United States, population-level prescribing of opioids has been decreasing; there are concerns, however, that dose reductions are related to potential adverse events. OBJECTIVE: Examine associations between opioid dose reductions and risk of 1-month potential adverse events (emergency department (ED) visits, opioid overdose, benzodiazepine prescription fill, all-cause mortality). DESIGN: This observational cohort study used electronic health record and claims data from eight United States health systems in a prescription opioid registry (Clinical Trials Network-0084). All opioid fills (excluding buprenorphine) between 1/1/2012 and 12/31/2018 were used to identify baseline periods with mean morphine milligram equivalents daily dose of ≥ 50 during six consecutive months. PATIENTS: We identified 60,040 non-cancer patients with ≥ one 2-month dose reduction period (600,234 unique dose reduction periods). MAIN MEASURES: Analyses examined associations between dose reduction levels (1- < 15%, 15- < 30%, 30- < 100%, 100% over 2 months) and potential adverse events in the month following a dose reduction using logistic regression analysis, adjusting for patient characteristics. KEY RESULTS: Overall, dose reduction periods involved mean reductions of 18.7%. Compared to reductions of 1- < 15%, dose reductions of 30- < 100% were associated with higher odds of ED visits (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.10, 1.17), opioid overdose (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.09-1.81), and all-cause mortality (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.16-1.67), but lower odds of a benzodiazepine fill (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.81-0.85). Dose reductions of 15- < 30%, compared to 1- < 15%, were associated with higher odds of ED visits (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.05-1.11) and lower odds of a benzodiazepine fill (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.92-0.95), but were not associated with opioid overdose and all-cause mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Larger reductions for patients on opioid therapy may raise risk of potential adverse events in the month after reduction and should be carefully monitored.
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Objective: Develop and implement a prescription opioid registry in 10 diverse health systems across the US and describe trends in prescribed opioids between 2012 and 2018. Materials and Methods: Using electronic health record and claims data, we identified patients who had an outpatient fill for any prescription opioid, and/or an opioid use disorder diagnosis, between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2018. The registry contains distributed files of prescription opioids, benzodiazepines and other select medications, opioid antagonists, clinical diagnoses, procedures, health services utilization, and health plan membership. Rates of outpatient opioid fills over the study period, standardized to health system demographic distributions, are described by age, gender, and race/ethnicity among members without cancer. Results: The registry includes 6 249 710 patients and over 40 million outpatient opioid fills. For the combined registry population, opioid fills declined from a high of 0.718 per member-year in 2013 to 0.478 in 2018, and morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) per fill declined from 985 MMEs per fill in 2012 to 758 MMEs in 2018. MMEs per member declined from 692 MMEs per member in 2012 to 362 MMEs per member in 2018. Conclusion: This study established a population-based opioid registry across 10 diverse health systems that can be used to address questions related to opioid use. Initial analyses showed large reductions in overall opioid use per member among the combined health systems. The registry will be used in future studies to answer a broad range of other critical public health issues relating to prescription opioid use.
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OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional study examined the association between nursing home quality and admission of working-age persons (ages 22-64 years) with serious mental illness. METHODS: The study used 2015 national Minimum Data Set 3.0 and Nursing Home Compare (NHC) data. A logistic mixed-effects model estimated the likelihood (adjusted odds ratios [AORs] and 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) of a working-age nursing home resident having serious mental illness, by NHC health inspection quality rating. The variance partition coefficient (VPC) was calculated to quantify the variation in serious mental illness attributable to nursing home characteristics. Measures included serious mental illness (i.e., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other psychotic disorders), health inspection quality rating (ranging from one star, below average, to five stars, above average), and other sociodemographic and clinical covariates. RESULTS: Of the 343,783 working-age adults newly admitted to a nursing home in 2015 (N=14,307 facilities), 15.5% had active serious mental illness. The odds of a working-age resident having serious mental illness was lowest among nursing homes of above-average quality, compared with nursing homes of below-average quality (five-star vs. one-star facility, AOR=0.78, 95% CI=0.73-0.84). The calculated VPC from the full model was 0.11. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate an association between below-average nursing homes and admission of working-age persons with serious mental illness, suggesting that persons with serious mental illness may experience inequitable access to nursing homes of above-average quality. Access to alternatives to care, integration of mental health services in the community, and improving mental health care in nursing homes may help address this disparity.
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Trastornos Psicóticos , Esquizofrenia , Adulto , Estudios Transversales , Humanos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Casas de Salud , Admisión del Paciente , Esquizofrenia/epidemiología , Esquizofrenia/terapia , Estados Unidos , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: Persons aged <65 years account for a considerable proportion of US nursing home residents with schizophrenia. Because they are often excluded from psychiatric and long-term care studies, a contemporary understanding of the characteristics and management of working-age adults (22-64 years old) with schizophrenia living in nursing homes is lacking. This study describes characteristics of working-age adults with schizophrenia admitted to US nursing homes in 2015 and examines variations in these characteristics by age and admission location. Factors associated with length of stay and discharge destination were also explored. DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional study using the Minimum Data Set 3.0 merged to Nursing Home Compare. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: This study examines working-age (22-64 years) adults with schizophrenia at admission to a nursing home. METHODS: Descriptive statistics of resident characteristics (sociodemographic, clinical comorbidities, functional status, and treatments) and facility characteristics (ownership, geography, size, and star ratings) were examined overall, stratified by age and by admission location. Generalized estimating equation models were used to explore the associations of age, discharge to the community, and length of stay with relevant resident and facility characteristics. Coefficient estimates, adjusted odds ratios, and 95% CIs are presented. RESULTS: Overall, many of the 28,330 working-age adults with schizophrenia had hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. Those in older age subcategories tended to have physical functional dependencies, cognitive impairments, and clinical comorbidities. Those in younger age subcategories tended to exhibit higher risk of psychiatric symptoms. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Nursing home admission is likely inappropriate for many nursing home residents with schizophrenia aged <65 years, especially those in younger age categories. Future psychiatric and long-term care research should include these residents to better understand the role of nursing homes in their care and should explore facility-level characteristics that may impact quality of care.
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Esquizofrenia , Adulto , Estudios Transversales , Humanos , Cuidados a Largo Plazo , Persona de Mediana Edad , Casas de Salud , Alta del Paciente , Esquizofrenia/terapia , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Homeless infants are known to have poor birth outcomes, but the longitudinal impact of homelessness on health, health care use, and health spending during the early years of life has received little attention. Linking Massachusetts emergency shelter enrollment records for the period 2008-15 with Medicaid claims, we compared 5,762 infants who experienced a homeless episode with a group of 5,553 infants matched on sex, race/ethnicity, location, and birth month. Infants born during a period of unstable housing resulting in homelessness had higher rates of low birthweight, respiratory problems, fever, and other common conditions; longer neonatal intensive care unit stays; more emergency department visits; and higher annual spending. Differences in most health conditions persisted for two to three years. Asthma diagnoses, emergency department visits, and spending were significantly higher through age six. While screening and access to health care can be improved for homeless infants, long-term solutions require a broader focus on housing and income.
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Gastos en Salud/tendencias , Estado de Salud , Personas con Mala Vivienda , Aceptación de la Atención de Salud , Niño , Preescolar , Bases de Datos Factuales , Femenino , Humanos , Lactante , Masculino , Massachusetts , Medicaid , Estudios Retrospectivos , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
Homelessness during pregnancy poses significant health risks for mothers and infants. As health care providers increase their emphasis on social determinants of health, it is important to understand how unstable housing contributes to complications during pregnancy. We linked data about emergency shelter enrollees with Massachusetts Medicaid claims for the period January 1, 2008-June 30, 2015 to compare health care use and pregnancy complications for 9,124 women who used emergency shelter with those for 8,757 similar women who did not. Rates of mental illness and substance use disorders were significantly higher among homeless women. Adjusted odds of having nine pregnancy complications were also significantly higher for homeless women and remained substantially unchanged after we adjusted for behavioral health disorders. Emergency shelter users also had fewer ambulatory care visits and more months without billable care and were more likely to visit an emergency department. Homelessness and behavioral health disorders appear to be independent factors contributing to pregnancy complications and should be addressed simultaneously.
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Vivienda , Personas con Mala Vivienda , Complicaciones del Embarazo/epidemiología , Adulto , Femenino , Estado de Salud , Humanos , Recién Nacido , Massachusetts/epidemiología , Medicaid , Trastornos Mentales/epidemiología , Embarazo , Trastornos Relacionados con Sustancias/epidemiología , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: United States (US) guidelines regarding when to stop routine breast cancer screening remain unclear. No national studies to-date have evaluated the use of screening mammography among US long-stay nursing home residents. This cross-sectional study was designed to identify prevalence, predictors, and geographic variation of screening mammography among that population in the context of current US guidelines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Screening mammography prevalence, identified with Physician/Supplier Part B claims and stratified by guideline age classification (65-74, ≥75â¯years), was estimated for all women aged ≥65â¯years residing in US Medicare- and Medicaid- certified nursing homes (≥1â¯year) with an annual Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 assessment, continuous Medicare Part B enrollment, and no clinical indication for screening mammography as of 2011 (nâ¯=â¯389,821). The associations between resident- and regional- level factors, and screening mammography, were estimated by crude and adjusted prevalence ratios from robust Poisson regressions clustered by facility. RESULTS: Women on average were 85.4 (standard deviation ±8.1) years old, 77.9% were disabled, and 76.3% cognitively impaired. Screening mammography prevalence was 7.1% among those aged 65-74â¯years (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 6.8%-7.3%) and 1.7% among those ≥75â¯years (95% CI, 1.7%-1.8%), with geographic variation observed. Predictors of screening in both age groups included race, cognitive impairment, frailty, hospice, and some comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS: These results shed light on the current screening mammography practices in US nursing homes. Thoughtful consideration about individual screening recommendations and the implementation of more clear guidelines for this special population are warranted to prevent overscreening.
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Hogares para Ancianos/estadística & datos numéricos , Mamografía/estadística & datos numéricos , Tamizaje Masivo/estadística & datos numéricos , Casas de Salud/estadística & datos numéricos , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Neoplasias de la Mama/prevención & control , Estudios Transversales , Femenino , Humanos , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: To describe longitudinal health service utilization and expenditures for homeless family members before and after entering an emergency shelter. METHODS: We linked Massachusetts emergency housing assistance data with Medicaid claims between July 2008 and June 2015, constructing episodes of health care 12 months before and 12 months after families entered a shelter. We modeled emergency department visits, hospital admissions, and expenditures over the 24-month period separately for children and adults. RESULTS: Emergency department visits, hospital admissions, and expenditures rose steadily before shelter entry and declined gradually afterward, ending, in most cases, near the starting point. Infants, pregnant women, and individuals with depression, anxiety, or substance use disorder had significantly higher rates of all outcomes. Many children's emergency department visits were potentially preventable. CONCLUSIONS: Increased service utilization and expenditures begin months before families become homeless and are potentially preventable with early intervention. Infants are at greater risk. Public Health Implications. Early identification and intervention to prevent homeless episodes, focusing on family members with behavioral health disorders, who are pregnant, or who have young children, may save money and improve family health.
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Gastos en Salud/estadística & datos numéricos , Vivienda , Personas con Mala Vivienda/estadística & datos numéricos , Aceptación de la Atención de Salud/estadística & datos numéricos , Adulto , Niño , Preescolar , Servicios Médicos de Urgencia/estadística & datos numéricos , Femenino , Hospitalización/estadística & datos numéricos , Humanos , Lactante , Masculino , Massachusetts , Embarazo , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
AIMS: To identify factors associated with the receipt of specialty substance use treatment among adults with opioid use disorders (OUD). DESIGN: Cross-sectional study based on 2010-2014 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Adults with a past-year OUD (nâ¯=â¯2488). The sample is representative of non-institutionalized US adults. MEASUREMENTS: Past-year OUD was determined using DSM-IV criteria. Past-year specialty substance use treatment was defined as receiving treatment for drug use at any of the following locations: rehabilitation facilities, hospitals (inpatient only), outpatient mental health centers, private doctors' offices, or methadone clinics. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to measure the independent association between potential correlates and specialty substance use treatment receipt. FINDINGS: Of adults with an OUD, 8.3% received past-year specialty substance use treatment. In a fully adjusted logistic regression model, the following factors were associated with increased odds of receiving specialty substance use treatment:â¯≥â¯35â¯years old (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR)â¯=â¯2.55, 95% Confidence Interval (CI)â¯=â¯1.04-6.26); unemployment (aORâ¯=â¯1.92, 95% CIâ¯=â¯1.02-3.61); not in the labor force (aORâ¯=â¯2.16, 95% CIâ¯=â¯1.15-4.06); never been married (aORâ¯=â¯2.14, 95% CIâ¯=â¯1.04-4.39); arrested in past 12â¯months (aORâ¯=â¯4.43, 95% CIâ¯=â¯2.45-7.99); opioid dependence (aORâ¯=â¯3.82, 95% CIâ¯=â¯2.06-7.10); alcohol use disorder (aORâ¯=â¯2.44, 95% CIâ¯=â¯1.44-4.11); and another drug use disorder (aORâ¯=â¯3.22, 95% CIâ¯=â¯1.95-5.32). Living in a non-metropolitan county (aORâ¯=â¯0.29, 95% CIâ¯=â¯0.12-0.68) and fair/poor health (aORâ¯=â¯0.38, 95% CIâ¯=â¯0.17-0.86) were associated with decreased odds of receiving specialty substance use treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest a need for the following efforts: strategies to increase individuals' recognition of their need for OUD treatment, expansion of insurance coverage for substance use treatment, expansion of earlier intervention services, adoption of a chronic care approach to substance use treatment, and an expansion of treatment capacity for rural communities.
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Alcoholismo/epidemiología , Derecho Penal/estadística & datos numéricos , Servicios de Salud Mental/estadística & datos numéricos , Trastornos Relacionados con Opioides/terapia , Desempleo/estadística & datos numéricos , Adolescente , Adulto , Factores de Edad , Atención Ambulatoria/estadística & datos numéricos , Comorbilidad , Estudios Transversales , Femenino , Estado de Salud , Hospitalización/estadística & datos numéricos , Humanos , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Estado Civil , Oportunidad Relativa , Tratamiento de Sustitución de Opiáceos/estadística & datos numéricos , Trastornos Relacionados con Opioides/epidemiología , Tratamiento Domiciliario/estadística & datos numéricos , Centros de Tratamiento de Abuso de Sustancias/estadística & datos numéricos , Trastornos Relacionados con Sustancias/epidemiología , Estados Unidos , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Unintended pregnancy rates are high among women with substance use disorders (SUDs), which could be explained partly by lower use of and adherence to contraception. We aimed to test: (1) the association of SUD with prescription contraceptive use, contraceptive method selection and adherence; (2) whether practices participating in the Patient-Centered Medical Home Initiative (PCMHI) had better contraceptive use and adherence for patients with SUD; and (3) for differences in the association of SUD with adherence by type of contraceptive used. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort analysis of claims and encounter data. SETTING: Massachusetts, USA. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 47 902 women aged 16-45 years enrolled in Medicaid or Commonwealth Care in Massachusetts between 2010 and 2014. MEASUREMENTS: We examined three dependent variables: (1) use of a reversible prescription contraceptive during 2012; (2) the contraceptive methods used; and (3) the proportion of days covered by a prescription contraceptive in the year following the first prescription contraceptive claim. The primary predictor was diagnosed SUD, defined as at least one claim for an alcohol or drug use disorder. FINDINGS: SUD was associated with lower rates of prescription contraceptive use during 2012 [19.2 versus 23.9%; adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.79, P < 0.001]. SUD was associated with decreased selection of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) compared with short-acting contraception (SARC) (42.8 versus 44.5%; aOR = 0.83, P = 0.011). There was no significant association between SUD and adherence (aOR = 0.84, P = 0.068). PCMHI enrollment did not alter the relationship between SUD and contraceptive use or adherence. Contraceptive method did not impact the relationship between SUD and adherence. CONCLUSION: Women with substance use disorders are less likely to use prescription contraceptives, especially long-acting methods, but are not significantly less likely to adhere to them once prescribed than women without substance use disorders.
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Anticoncepción/estadística & datos numéricos , Cooperación del Paciente/estadística & datos numéricos , Trastornos Relacionados con Sustancias/epidemiología , Adolescente , Adulto , Estudios de Cohortes , Femenino , Humanos , Massachusetts/epidemiología , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estudios Retrospectivos , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Sofosbuvir (SOF)- or simeprevir (SIM)-containing regimens are highly effective for treating chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. These regimens, however, are expensive. Most payers have implemented prior authorization (PA) requirements to ensure that patients who can benefit most have priority for these medications. While many Medicaid programs limit access to those with advanced disease or to members who do not have active substance use disorder (SUD), the Massachusetts Medicaid (MassHealth) Primary Care Clinician (PCC) plan does not limit access based on disease severity or presence of SUD. Evaluating PA requests for SOF and/or SIM among MassHealth members will offer a useful example of early uptake among Medicaid members and will identify patient groups who might face barriers to treatment at the provider or patient level. OBJECTIVES: To (a) evaluate the percentage of MassHealth PCC members with HCV who had a PA request, along with the percentage of requests approved, and (b) identify characteristics associated with PA requests for SOF or SIM among Massachusetts Medicaid (MassHealth) members with HCV. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used enrollment, medical claims, and PA request data from MassHealth PCC members from December 6, 2012, to July 31, 2014. The sample included members with 1 or more claims with an ICD-9-CM code for HCV during this time who were continuously enrolled from December 6, 2013, to July 31, 2014. Enrollment and medical claims data for the cohort with HCV were linked to a database containing information collected from PA requests. The overall percentage of members with HCV and a PA request for SOF and/or SIM between December 6, 2013, and July 31, 2014, and the percentage of requests approved were calculated. Chi-square statistics were used to compare demographic and clinical characteristics among members with HCV who did and did not have a request. Logistic regression was used to estimate the strength of associations between patient characteristics and a PA treatment request, adjusting for clinical and demographic variables. RESULTS: Of 6,849 members identified with HCV, 346 (5.1%) had a PA request for SOF and/or SIM submitted to MassHealth. Compared with members with HCV who did not have a PA request for SOF or SIM, those with a PA request for these new treatments were more likely to be male (P = 0.01), older (P < 0.001), white race (P = 0.04), have standard MassHealth insurance (P = 0.01), and less likely to be homeless (P < 0.001). Members with a PA request were also more likely to have been treated for HCV in the past year and have advanced disease (hepatic decompensation, cirrhosis, or liver transplant) but less likely to have SUD (P < 0.001 for each). Ninety percent of requests for SOF or SIM were approved; few demographic or clinical characteristics were associated with approval. In adjusted analyses, predictors of PA request were aged 50-64 years (odds ratio (OR) = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.1-3.7 vs. aged < 30 years); hepatic decompensation (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.2-2.3); cirrhosis (OR = 3.0, 95% CI = 2.2-4.1); liver transplant (OR = 3.0, 95% CI = 1.4-6.5); substance use (OR = 0.6, 95% CI = 0.5-0.8); recent HCV treatment (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.0-2.6); comorbidity (OR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.91-0.98) for 1-unit increase in Diagnostic Cost Group score; and care at a hospital outpatient department (OR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.2-3.2 vs. group practice). CONCLUSIONS: Antiviral treatment with SOF and/or SIM was requested for a relatively small proportion of MassHealth members with HCV, with nearly all approved. Prescriber prioritization or patient barriers to care, rather than the PA process, determined access to treatment in this Medicaid population. Support may be needed to ensure patients with SUD benefit from advances in HCV treatment. DISCLOSURES: No outside funding supported this research. Internal funding was provided by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Lavitas has received compensation from University of Tennessee Advanced Studies in Medicine for development of CPE activity. Graham has consulted for the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable and the Department of Health and Human Services, has received payment from Medscape for CME development, and is employed by Trek Therapeutics. Jeffrey has received payment for guest lectures at Boston University and Harvard University. Study concept and design were primarily contributed by Clark and Clements, along with Graham, Lenz, and Jeffrey. Kunte collected the data, which were interpreted by Graham, Lenz, and Jeffrey, with assistance from Lavitas, Clark, and Clements. The manuscript was written primarily by Clements, along with O'Connell and assisted by Graham, and revised by all the authors.
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Antivirales/uso terapéutico , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud , Hepatitis C/tratamiento farmacológico , Hepatitis C/epidemiología , Medicaid , Adulto , Estudios de Cohortes , Femenino , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud/estadística & datos numéricos , Humanos , Revisión de Utilización de Seguros/estadística & datos numéricos , Masculino , Medicaid/estadística & datos numéricos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estudios Retrospectivos , Estados Unidos/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: We examined factors associated with frequent hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits among Medicaid members who were homeless. METHODS: We included 6494 Massachusetts Medicaid members who received services from a health care for the homeless program in 2010. We used negative binomial regression to examine variables associated with frequent utilization. RESULTS: Approximately one third of the study population had at least 1 hospitalization and two thirds had 1 or more ED visits. More than 70% of hospitalizations and ED visits were incurred by only 12% and 21% of these members, respectively. Homeless individuals with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders were at greatest risk for frequent hospitalizations and ED visits (e.g., incidence rate ratios [IRRs] = 2.9-13.8 for hospitalizations). Individuals living on the streets also had significantly higher utilization (IRR = 1.5). CONCLUSIONS: Despite having insurance coverage, homeless Medicaid members experienced frequent hospitalizations and ED visits. States could consider provisions under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (e.g., Medicaid expansion and Health Homes) jointly with housing programs to meet the needs of homeless individuals, which may improve the quality and cost effectiveness of care.
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Servicio de Urgencia en Hospital/estadística & datos numéricos , Hospitalización/estadística & datos numéricos , Personas con Mala Vivienda/estadística & datos numéricos , Medicaid/estadística & datos numéricos , Adulto , Femenino , Humanos , Cobertura del Seguro , Seguro de Salud , Masculino , Massachusetts , Trastornos Mentales/epidemiología , Persona de Mediana Edad , Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
Clinical trials show that opioid agonist therapy (OAT) with methadone or buprenorphine is more effective than behavioral treatments, but state policymakers remain ambivalent about covering OAT for long periods. We used Medicaid claims for 52,278 Massachusetts Medicaid beneficiaries with a diagnosis of opioid abuse or dependence between 2004 and 2010 to study associations between use of methadone, buprenorphine or other behavioral health treatment without OAT, and time to relapse and total healthcare expenditures. Cox Proportional Hazards ratios for patients treated with either methadone or buprenorphine showed approximately 50% lower risk of relapse than behavioral treatment without OAT. Expenditures per month were from $153 to $233 lower for OAT episodes compared to other behavioral treatment. Co-occurring alcohol abuse/dependence quadrupled the risk of relapse, other non-opioid abuse/dependence doubled the relapse risk and severe mental illness added 80% greater risk compared to those without each of those disorders. Longer current treatment episodes were associated with lower risk of relapse. Relapse risk increased as prior treatment exposure increased but prior treatment was associated with slightly lower total healthcare expenditures. These findings suggest that the effectiveness of OAT that has been demonstrated in clinical trials persists at the population level in a less controlled setting and that OAT is associated with lower total healthcare expenditures compared to other forms of behavioral treatment for patients with opioid addiction. Co-occurring other substance use and mental illness exert strong influences on cost and risk of relapse, suggesting that individuals with these conditions need more comprehensive treatment.
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Analgésicos Opioides/uso terapéutico , Terapia Conductista/estadística & datos numéricos , Buprenorfina/uso terapéutico , Costos de la Atención en Salud/estadística & datos numéricos , Medicaid/estadística & datos numéricos , Metadona/uso terapéutico , Tratamiento de Sustitución de Opiáceos/estadística & datos numéricos , Trastornos Relacionados con Opioides/terapia , Adulto , Analgésicos Opioides/economía , Terapia Conductista/economía , Buprenorfina/economía , Terapia Combinada , Comorbilidad , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Medicaid/economía , Metadona/economía , Tratamiento de Sustitución de Opiáceos/economía , Trastornos Relacionados con Opioides/tratamiento farmacológico , Trastornos Relacionados con Opioides/economía , Trastornos Relacionados con Opioides/epidemiología , Recurrencia , Factores de Riesgo , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Buprenorphine is the most frequently prescribed medication for treating substance use disorders in the United States, but few studies have evaluated the structure of treatment delivered in real-world settings. The purpose of this study is to investigate adherence to current buprenorphine treatment guidelines using administrative data for Massachusetts Medicaid. METHODS: We identified buprenorphine treatment episodes beginning in 2009 through pharmacy claims. We then used service claims to identify treatment-related physician, behavioral, and laboratory services received in the induction, stabilization, and maintenance phases of these treatment episodes. Rates of service utilization were compared with those recommended in treatment guidelines. RESULTS: A total of 3674 treatment episodes met inclusion criteria, representing 3005 unique Medicaid beneficiaries. Liver enzymes were tested in 47.3% of episodes, but testing for hepatitis C (23.2%), hepatitis B (19.6%), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV; 13.7%) was less frequent. Adherence to recommended physician visit frequency was 37.6% during induction, 39.7% during stabilization, and 51.2% during maintenance. For behavioral care, adherence rates were 40.0% during induction, 41.2% during stabilization, and 41.0% during maintenance. Rates of toxicology testing met or exceeded recommendations in just over 60% of episodes in the induction (61.1%), stabilization (62.1%), and maintenance (61.4%) phases. Although rates varied by treatment phase, substantial proportions of episodes showed no evidence of physician visits (27.2-42.8%), behavioral care (44.3-60.0%), and toxicology screening (25.3-39.0%). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that there is significant variability in the structure of buprenorphine treatment provided to Massachusetts Medicaid beneficiaries, and that half or less of episodes include physician and behavioral visits at recommended frequencies. The use of administrative data for this type of analysis is limited by the potential for missing or inaccurate data. More research is needed to establish the levels of services most closely associated with positive outcomes to help guide providers in offering the highest-quality care.
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Buprenorfina/uso terapéutico , Guías como Asunto , Medicaid/estadística & datos numéricos , Tratamiento de Sustitución de Opiáceos , Trastornos Relacionados con Opioides/tratamiento farmacológico , Cooperación del Paciente , Adulto , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Massachusetts , Estados Unidos , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of a 2008 dose-based prior authorization policy for Massachusetts Medicaid beneficiaries using buprenorphine + naloxone for opioid addiction treatment. Doses higher than 16 mg required progressively more frequent authorizations. DATA SOURCES: Mediciaid claims for 2007 and 2008 linked with Department of Public Health (DPH) service records. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted time series for all buprenorphine users and a longitudinal cohort analysis of 2,049 individuals who began buprenorphine treatment in 2007. Outcome measures included use of relapse-related services, health care expenditures per person, and buprenorphine expenditures. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS: We used ICD-9 codes and National Drug Codes to identify individuals with opioid dependence who filled prescriptions for buprenorphine. Medicaid and DPH data were linked with individual identifiers. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Individuals using doses >24 mg decreased from 16.5 to 4.1 percent. Relapses increased temporarily for some users but returned to previous levels within 3 months. Buprenorphine expenditures decreased but total expenditures did not change significantly. CONCLUSION: Prior authorization policies strategically targeted by dose level appear to successfully reduce use of higher than recommended buprenorphine doses. Savings from these policies are modest and may be accompanied by brief increases in relapse rates. Lower doses may decrease diversion of buprenorphine.
Asunto(s)
Analgésicos Opioides/administración & dosificación , Analgésicos Opioides/economía , Buprenorfina/administración & dosificación , Buprenorfina/economía , Control de Medicamentos y Narcóticos , Gastos en Salud , Medicaid/economía , Tratamiento de Sustitución de Opiáceos/economía , Trastornos Relacionados con Opioides/tratamiento farmacológico , Trastornos Relacionados con Opioides/economía , Adulto , Estudios de Cohortes , Costos y Análisis de Costo , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Massachusetts , Recurrencia , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: This study had two aims: to measure the prevalence of long-term prescribing of high doses of antipsychotics and antipsychotic polypharmacy in a large Canadian province and to estimate the relative contributions of patient-, physician-, and hospital-level factors. METHODS: Government hospital discharge, physician, and pharmaceutical claims data were linked to identify individuals with schizophrenia who in 2004 had antipsychotics available to them for at least 11 months. Individuals on a high dose throughout that period, as well as individuals on multiple concurrent antipsychotics (polypharmacy), were identified. Logistic and generalized linear mixed models using patient-, physician-, and hospital-level predictors were estimated. RESULTS: Among the 12,150 individuals identified, 11.9% were on a high dose and 10.4% on antipsychotic polypharmacy continually, with 3.7% in both groups. After adjustment for potential confounders, analyses showed that systematic propensity for physicians to prescribe high doses accounted for 10.9% of the remaining unexplained variance, and physicians as a group who prescribed high doses across a hospital or psychiatry department accounted for 3.0%. For antipsychotic polypharmacy the corresponding percentages were 9.7% and 6.2%. Even after adjustment, the variation in high-dose prescribing and antipsychotic polypharmacy remained substantial. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term high-dose and antipsychotic polypharmacy prescribing appeared partly driven by some physicians' and some hospitals' propensities to prescribe in this way independently of patient characteristics. Given the weight of the evidence against high-dose prescribing and antipsychotic polypharmacy, measures addressed to physicians and hospitals most likely to prescribe high doses, antipsychotic polypharmacy, or both should be considered.
Asunto(s)
Antipsicóticos/uso terapéutico , Prescripciones de Medicamentos/estadística & datos numéricos , Hospitales/estadística & datos numéricos , Polifarmacia , Pautas de la Práctica en Medicina/estadística & datos numéricos , Esquizofrenia/tratamiento farmacológico , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Canadá , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Despite the large number of Latinos living in the United States, little research has evaluated the effectiveness of different vocational rehabilitation programs for individuals with severe mental illness in this rapidly growing minority population. This article presents a secondary analysis of a randomized, controlled trial comparing supported employment with 2 other vocational rehabilitation programs in 3 ethnic/racial groups of participants with severe mental illness: Latinos, non-Latino African Americans, and non-Latino Whites. METHOD: The data were drawn from a previously published randomized, controlled trial comparing supported employment with standard vocational rehabilitation services and a psychosocial clubhouse program in persons with severe mental illness (Mueser et al., 2004), including 64 Latinos, 91 non-Latino African Americans, and 43 non-Latino Whites. Comparisons were made between the 3 groups at baseline on demographic characteristics, clinical and psychosocial functioning, and quality of life. Within each ethnic/racial group, competitive employment and all paid employment outcomes were compared between the 3 vocational rehabilitation programs over the 2-year study period. RESULTS: At baseline, the Latino participants had lower levels of education and disability income, were less likely to have worked competitively over the previous 5 years, had more severe symptoms, and worse psychosocial functioning than the non-Latino African American or non-Latino White participants. Latinos randomized to supported employment had better competitive and all-paid work outcomes than those assigned to either standard services or the psychosocial clubhouse program, similar to the non-Latino consumers. Rates of competitive work for consumers in supported employment were comparable across all 3 racial/ethnic groups. DISCUSSION: Supported employment is effective at improving competitive work in Latinos with severe mental illness. Efforts should be made to increase access to supported employment in the growing population of Latinos with severe mental illness.