Category
Anna Austin

Pandemic policy changes may have helped sustain access to treatment for opioid use disorder

June 16, 2023
A new study led by Dr. Anna Austin shows that overall receipt of medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) remained relatively stable early in the pandemic among Medicaid patients, possibly due to changes in policy restrictions. However, there was a decrease in the number of people newly beginning MOUD treatment through in person visits that was only partially offset by telehealth.

Prenatal substance use linked to inadequate prenatal, perinatal care

May 11, 2022
Gillings School maternal and child health researchers found that people who engage in prenatal substance use are more likely to initiate prenatal care later and receive inadequate care before and after birth, with the most pronounced differences in those who report illicit substance use.

Can a screening for social determinants of health effectively inform children's health care?

October 7, 2019
A study by students and faculty at the UNC Gillings School explored whether screening tools that examine social determinants of health in children can accurately identify early indicators of risk. Based on the researchers' comprehensive review of existing literature, it remains unclear whether such screenings — which aim to consider risk factors outside traditional medical information — inform better care for children.

Study links racial disparities, maternal substance use with CPS reporting rates in Alaska

August 9, 2019
In 2016, child protective services (CPS) agencies in the United States received an estimated 4.1 million allegations of abuse or neglect. Previous research suggests that a report made to CPS is a marker of child risk and vulnerability — regardless of what the outcome is. A new study delves deeper into this connection from a public health perspective, analyzing the factors associated with different patterns of CPS contact among families in Alaska.

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