Research Highlight

Buprenorphine, when prescribed in the emergency department (ED), increases the chances for treatment engagement and retention among patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). The patient uptake and clinical administration of ED-initiated buprenorphine for OUD, however, has been slow despite evidence of its effectiveness. Implementation facilitation (IF), a strategy that leverages external facilitators and a local […]

Lead author Hana Zwick, a research data analyst at the Syndemics Lab, and colleagues published a new simulation modeling study in JAMA Network Open to understand the public health and economic outcomes of strategies that arrest, disperse, or house people who live in encampments and experience high-risk opioid use compared to the encampment status quo. […]

In a new article in the Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment, lead author and CHERISH Methodology Core Director Kathryn McCollister and colleagues conducted a cost analysis of implementing evidence-based interventions to improve substance use disorder (SUD) treatment among youth in the legal system (YLS). By analyzing implementation costs, this study offers insights about […]

In a new article in Hepatology Communications, lead author and CHERISH Population Data & Modeling Core Director Benjamin Linas and colleagues report new economic analyses from MINMON, an AIDS Clinical Trial Group (ACTG 5360) study that used a minimal monitoring approach to provide treatment for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV). Findings suggest that the simplified […]

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing guidelines were updated in 2020 to provide universal, one-time screening for adults ages 18 through 79 and during each pregnancy. This departure from their 2013 recommendation not only aims to improve early detection of HCV across age groups but also acknowledges pregnancy as a critical period for diagnosing and treating […]

The overwhelming majority of those in New York City who obtained a naloxone kit to counteract opioid overdose had a high need for the drug, according to a new study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The study, published Jan. 16 in the Journal of Urban Health, […]

Overdose is the leading cause of death among people with opioid use disorder (OUD) who are experiencing homelessness. Innovative care models that meet this population outside of office-based settings can improve access to buprenorphine, a medication for treating OUD, and avert fatal overdoses. In this study, Avik Chatterjee, lead author and addiction specialist at Boston […]

Rachel was making her 25th visit to the emergency department. The wound on her leg from injecting drugs had spread to her entire calf and required a lengthy course of antibiotic treatment in the hospital. The few times she had been admitted to the hospital, she had left without finishing treatment because the pain and […]

More than 4 million people in the U.S. live with a hepatitis C virus (HCV) diagnosis. However, as of 2022, fewer than one-third of individuals infected with HCV have been cured due to barriers related to high direct-acting antiviral (DAA) pricing and the steps involved in determining someone’s degree of liver disease or fibrosis. In […]

In the last eight years, emergency departments (EDs) have seen an influx of visits related to opioid use disorder (OUD). For the same reason, researchers have been citing EDs to be a critical setting and reachable moment for initiating OUD medications, the gold standard of care. Buprenorphine is advantageous as a low-barrier OUD treatment compared […]

Over the last two decades, injection opioid use has increased among reproductive-aged women, with resultant increases in mother-to-child hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmissions in the U.S. Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment is highly effective at reducing and eliminating the risk of HCV transmissions. Yet, studies show lower odds of receiving DAA treatment for women compared to […]

One of the key questions researchers ask when conducting an economic evaluation is: How much does this intervention cost to an individual, organization, or society at large? The process requires researchers to identify the perspectives of affected stakeholders and analyze the costs related to the intervention. To better understand the burdens and economic impact of […]