Informing Value Assessment and Digital Health Interventions: Eliciting Utility Weights, Health-Related Quality of Life, and Assessing Digital Health Needs in Pregnant and Post-partum Women with OUD

Pregnant women with opioid use disorder (OUD) incur nearly 40% higher inpatient care costs and increased odds of poorer infant and maternal health outcomes compared to other pregnant women. Women with OUD are also at high risk for overdose-related deaths in the 7 to 12 months after childbirth. Digital health interventions, such as telemedicine for OUD treatment, demonstrate potential for improving the health of pregnant women, but have yet to be tailored for postpartum women.

To inform the design, implementation, and evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of digital health interventions for pregnant and postpartum women with OUD, this pilot study will assess health-related quality of life, estimate utility weights, and assess the digital health needs and preferences for pregnant and postpartum women with OUD. Findings from this study will provide critical data for an understudied population with OUD.

Dr. Ruth Jeminiwa is a health outcomes researcher and educator whose work integrates pharmacoeconomics, digital health, and opioid use disorder (OUD). She is an assistant professor at the Jefferson College of Pharmacy at Thomas Jefferson University, where she teaches pharmacoeconomics and leads research aimed at advancing value-based care and digital health solutions for individuals with OUD and asthma.

With a background in pharmacy and a PhD in health outcomes research and policy, Jeminiwa brings a multidisciplinary lens to evaluating the real-world effectiveness and economic impact of healthcare interventions. Her research focuses on shared decision-making, the development of digital tools, and the application of preference-based methods to inform cost-effectiveness analyses—particularly for vulnerable populations such as pregnant individuals with OUD.  She is deeply committed to translating evidence into practice and ensuring that value assessment frameworks are responsive to the diverse needs of patients and communities.