Pregnant Patients Using Opioids: Treatment Access Barriers in the Age of COVID-19.
J Addict Med
; 16(1): e44-e47, 2022.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1672291
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, many pregnant patients experienced barriers in accessing opioid use disorder (OUD) medication. This project surveyed buprenorphine treatment clinics to determine how many accepted pregnant women before and then during the pandemic. Of those clinics accepting pregnant patients during the pandemic, respondents were asked what services were provided and what forms of payment they accepted.METHODS:
Between July and September 2020, phone contact was made with every sixth unduplicated clinic in North Carolina listed in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration treatment locator (Nâ=â490 clinics). The response rate was 53%.RESULTS:
Of the 128 clinics responding, 62 clinics (48%) failed to treat pregnant patients both before and during the pandemic, whereas 66 clinics (52%) accepted pregnant patients before the COVID-19 pandemic, with only 44 (66%) of these clinics accepting pregnant patients during the pandemic. Thus, 33% fewer clinics accepted pregnant women for OUD treatment. Of these 44 clinics, 52% provided same-day intake, 45% prescribed naltrexone, and 57% offered detoxification with opioid agonists. Self-pay (95%), private insurance (77%), and Medicaid (55%) were accepted as payment. Clinics commonly reported providing individual counseling (86%). No clinics provided childcare or transportation.CONCLUSIONS:
Almost half of the buprenorphine clinics in North Carolina turned away pregnant patients before the pandemic. During the pandemic, only 34% accepted pregnant patients, with 33% clinics that had provided medication treatment before the pandemic declining to treat pregnant patients for OUD. Thus, it is critical that policymakers ensure OUD treatment clinics accept pregnant patients.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Buprenorphine
/
COVID-19
/
Opioid-Related Disorders
Type of study:
Observational study
Limits:
Female
/
Humans
/
Pregnancy
Country/Region as subject:
North America
Language:
English
Journal:
J Addict Med
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
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