opioid addiction

‘Secret shopper’ study sheds light on barriers to opioid treatment for women

After a 2020 Vanderbilt University Medical Center study showed women have a difficult time accessing treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD), investigators analyzed comments received from the study’s participants to further shed light on barriers to care, which included everything from long on-hold times to difficult interactions with clinic receptionists during phone calls seeking appointments.

Women in criminal justice system less likely to receive evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder

Pregnant women involved in the criminal justice system are disproportionately not receiving medications for opioid use disorder, as compared to their peers, according to a Vanderbilt-led study published today in PLOS Medicine.

Patrick J. Kennedy (left) and Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos (Anne Rayner/Vanderbilt)

Silence, denial keeps America steeped in opioid addiction, Kennedy says

Former U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy advocated for better treatment of mental health issues and spoke candidly about his struggles during a Chancellor’s Lecture Series discussion on Tuesday.