Disparities Exist in Outpatient Referrals for Opioid Use Disorder
MONDAY, July 7, 2025 -- Black patients presenting to the emergency department for an opioid overdose are less likely to receive outpatient referrals for opioid use disorder (OUD), according to a study published online July 2 in JAMA Network Open.
Siri Shastry, M.D., from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, and colleagues examined racial and ethnic disparities in treatment referral rates in emergency department patients with opioid overdose. The analysis included data from 10 hospital sites (1,683 patients) participating in the Toxicology Investigators Consortium Fentalog Study (Sept. 21, 2020, to Nov. 11, 2023).
The researchers found that 17.8 percent of patients presenting to the emergency department received a referral for outpatient treatment, 42.4 percent received a naloxone kit or prescription, and 8.4 percent received a buprenorphine prescription. Black patients had a decreased likelihood of outpatient treatment referral (adjusted odds ratio, 0.67) compared with White patients. Hospital admission was associated with an increased likelihood of outpatient treatment referral (adjusted odds ratio, 3.13). There was geographic variation noted for all primary and secondary outcomes.
"In this study, Black patients were less likely to receive outpatient referrals for OUD," the authors write. "These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to address racial disparities in emergency department care for OUD, particularly in enhancing referral processes."
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Read this next
Cancer Survival Lower in Rural Areas
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 1, 2025 -- Five-year cancer survival rates for each stage of cancer (localized, regional, and distant) is lower in nonmetropolitan areas for Black and White...
Loss of Smell May Linger After COVID-19
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 1, 2025 -- Self-reported change or loss in smell or taste is an accurate signal of verified hyposmia after COVID-19, although there is also a high rate of hyposmia...
Elderly Patients Benefit From Screening Mammography
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 1, 2025 -- Patients with breast cancer diagnosed at 80 years of age or older who received screening mammography present with earlier-stage disease and have better...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.