News & Events

Pair of new research papers highlights variation, benefit of opioid treatment programs

Two new research papers published in the journal Medical Care led by Vanderbilt University Medical Center faculty highlight two different areas related to opioid use treatment in women of reproductive age across several U.S. states. Both studies used similar data and study designs from a randomized field experiment where nearly 4,000 trained callers, either on public health insurance (Medicaid) or private insurance, attempted to seek appointments for treating opioid use disorder across 10 states in the U.S.

Maternal OUD and NOWS increases risk of postneonatal infant mortality

In a new study led by Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers, infants born to individuals who had opioid use disorder (OUD) during pregnancy or who developed neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) faced a 54-64% greater risk of postneonatal death than infants without these exposures.