Racial and ethnic disparities in emergency department-initiated buprenorphine across five health care systems.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Opioid overdose deaths have disproportionately impacted Black and Hispanic populations, in part due to disparities in treatment access. Emergency departments (EDs) serve as a resource for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD), many of whom have difficulty accessing outpatient addiction programs. However, inequities in ED treatment for OUD remain poorly understood.

Methods

This secondary analysis examined racial and ethnic differences in buprenorphine access using data from EMBED, a study of 21 EDs across five health care systems evaluating a clinical decision support system for initiating ED buprenorphine. The primary outcome was receipt of buprenorphine, ED administered or prescribed. Hospital type (academic vs. community) was evaluated as an effect modifier. H

SUBMITTER: Holland WC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10467357 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature