Study reveals large gaps in care for youths with opioid use disorder
One in 100 adolescents and young adults in the United States has an opioid use disorder (OUD) and, with the rise of fentanyl in the drug supply, overdoses in this age group have risen sharply since 2019.
A new study has found vast gaps in the care provided to adolescents and young adults with opioid use disorder (OUD) in the United States. The research, conducted by investigators from Mass General Brigham, analyzed eight years of national data from 229,847 Medicaid-enrolled youths aged 13 to 25. The study reveals that only half of these young people initiated treatment, one-third engaged in care, one-sixth received medication, and only one in 32 continued medication for 180 days or more. This indicates a critical need for improved treatment and equity in youth opioid use disorder care.
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