Proceedings from Bridging Health Disparities to Address the Opioid Epidemic: A Symposium at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: In response to the unprecedented rates of illicit drug use, including opioid addiction and overdose in Rhode Island, local healthcare institutions, led by the Warren Alpert Medical School (AMS) of Brown University, collaborated to present "Bridging Health Disparities to Address the Opioid Epidemic." This symposium sought to educate a wide array of healthcare providers and professionals around opioid use disorder, including the state of the opioid crisis in Rhode Island, national efforts around opioid misuse and how providers can work together to stem the opioid crisis in the state. DESIGN AND METHODS: The symposium included a keynote session which aimed to increase knowledge and decrease stigma. This was followed by two rounds of breakout sessions which focused on various components of opioid disorder treatment. We elicited feedback from participants in order to plan further interventions to educate providers in Rhode Island around the opioid epidemic. Primary Results: Initial feedback was positive. More importantly, this workshop allowed us to identify gaps in knowledge amongst healthcare providers in Rhode Island in order to plan further interventions for healthcare providers, including physicians, around opioid misuse, in Rhode Island. PRINCIPAL CONCLUSIONS: This symposium is one of the first steps that a consortium of healthcare institutions, including AMS, will take to address the opioid crisis in Rhode Island. Feedback from the event was elicited to identify gaps in healthcare provider knowledge and will be used to design and implement further interventions. [Full article available at http://rimed.org/rimedicaljournal-2017-04.asp].

Addressing health disparities: Brown University School of Public Health.

Health disparities are a public health concern in Rhode Island and around the world. Faculty members and students in the Brown University School of Public Health are working to understand, address, and ultimately eliminate disparities in health and health care affecting diverse populations. Our educational offerings and research efforts are directed toward understanding and addressing the social, cultural, and environmental factors that contribute to these health disparities. Research methods to carry out this work include implementing interdisciplinary, community-based, quantitative and qualitative research with the goal of preventing, reducing, and eliminating health disparities. This article focuses on some of the School's work with vulnerable communities confronting issues around the following: HIV/AIDS, obesity, nutrition, physical activity and delivery of health services.