Expanding access to methadone treatment in Ohio through federally qualified health centers and a chain pharmacy: A geospatial modeling analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

In the United States, methadone provision for opioid use disorder (OUD) occurs at opioid treatment programs (OTPs). Ohio recently enacted a policy to expand methadone administration to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC). We compared how the provision of methadone at current OTPs or the proposed expansion to FQHCs and pharmacies meets the urban and rural need for OUD treatment.

Methods

Cross-sectional geospatial analysis of zip codes within Ohio with at least one 2017 opioid overdose death stratified by Rural-Urban Commuting Area codes. Our primary outcome was the proportion of need by zip code (using opioid overdose deaths as a proxy for need) within a 15- or 30- minute drive time of an OTP.

Results

Among 581 zip codes, sixty four percent of treatmen

SUBMITTER: Iloglu S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7901120 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature