Implementing a low-threshold audio-only telehealth model for medication-assisted treatment of opioid use disorder at a community-based non-profit organization in Washington, D.C.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has had especially devastating effects on people who use drugs. Due to pandemic protocols in the USA, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) regulations became more flexible, permitting our community-based nonprofit organization to transition its low-threshold MAT clinic to an audio-only telehealth model of care in 2020. Lessons learned have the potential to improve MAT delivery to people with OUD. CASE PRESENTATION: This case study describes our transition from a low-threshold community-based in-person MAT clinic to an audio-only telehealth model. We extracted data from electronic health records to describe patient characteristics and to calculate treatment retention rates. Patients were predominantly male (74.4%) and black (90.6%). The mean age was 53 years old with more than half of the clients aged 55 or older. Less than half (42.3%) of the patients lived in stable housing. Patients commonly had self-reported comorbid conditions such as hypertension (35.4%), hepatitis C (23.5%), diabetes (11.9%), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (7.2%). A majority of patients (68.6%) reported engagement with behavioral health care. We measure the success of our intervention relative to published retention rates, both overall as well as for in-person and telehealth care. In-person retention rates at 90- and 180-days were substantially higher than telehealth retention rates (93.9% vs 68.4% and 91.5% vs 51.9%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Low-threshold medication-assisted treatment in the care of people with opioid use disorder is essential to increasing treatment access and continuity. We found that an audio-only telehealth model was viable. Although we had decreased retention rates following the transition to an audio-only telehealth model, our rates remained excellent compared to published values for in-person MAT care. We call for advocacy and regulations to support continued use of telehealth services throughout and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key risk factors for substance use among female sex workers in Soweto and Klerksdorp, South Africa: A cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Sex workers in South Africa experience high levels of trauma and mental health issues, but little is known about their drug and alcohol use. This study assessed the prevalence of substance use and its key risk factors amongst female sex workers (FSWs) at two sites in South Africa. METHODS: Two cross-sectional studies were conducted, in Soweto and Klerksdorp, South Africa. Using respondent-driven sampling (RDS) 508 FSWs in Soweto and 156 in Klerksdorp were enrolled. A study-specific survey was used to collect social and demographic information, substance use, mental ill-health, and HIV status. Raw and RDS-adjusted data were analyzed using Chi-squared tests of association. Weighted and unweighted Poisson regression models were used to assess key risk factors for alcohol and drug use at both univariate and multivariate levels. RESULTS: Of the 664 FSWs, 56.2% were binge drinkers and 29.4% reported using drugs within the last year. Living in a home with regular food (RR: 1.2597, 95% CI: 1.1009-1.4413) and being HIV positive (RR: 1.1678, 95% CI: 1.0227-1.3334) were associated with a higher risk of binge drinking. Having symptoms suggestive of post-traumatic stress disorder (RR: 1.1803, 95% CI: 1.0025-1.3895) and past year physical/sexual abuse from either intimate (RR: 1.3648, 95% CI: 1.1522-1.6167) or non-intimate partners (RR: 1.3910, 95% CI: 1.1793-1.6407) were associated with a higher risk of drug use. DISCUSSION: In conclusion, our findings demonstrate a high prevalence of alcohol and drug use among FSWs in Soweto and Klerksdorp with site-specific contextual dynamics driving substance use. Site differences highlight the importance of tailoring site-specific substance use harm mitigation for this key population.