Open AccessPregnancy and the Opioid Crisis: Heightened Effects of COVID-19
Author(s) -
Ashley L. White,
Brad Lundahl,
M. Aryana Bryan,
Akiko Okifuji,
Marcela C. Smid,
Adam J. Gordon,
Kristi Carlston,
John Silipigni,
Walitta Abdullah,
Elizabeth E. Krans,
Amy Kenney,
Gerald Cochran
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of addiction medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.264
H-Index - 42
eISSN - 1935-3227
pISSN - 1932-0620
DOI - 10.1097/adm.0000000000000822
Subject(s) - medicine , pandemic , covid-19 , opioid use disorder , pregnancy , psychiatry , health care , public health , population , opioid epidemic , opioid , disease , nursing , environmental health , virology , economic growth , infectious disease (medical specialty) , receptor , pathology , biology , outbreak , economics , genetics
The opioid epidemic continues to affect pregnant women with opioid use disorder adversely in unique and enduring ways. The onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the necessary public health measures implemented to slow the transmission have increased barriers to care for these same women. This commentary explores the implications of these measures and discusses strategies we have developed to manage these challenges based on our work in a clinical trial providing patient navigation to pregnant mothers with OUD. We believe these solutions can be applied in medical, behavioral health, and research settings through the pandemic and beyond to increase the quality of care and resources to this vulnerable population.