A five-year study by the University of Pittsburgh on opioid use before and after an overdose reported that the “brush with death” did little to reduce continued use of either prescription opioids or heroin. The research also indicated that, despite receiving medical attention, those who had overdosed continued to have high opioid use, signaling a weak response by the healthcare system to the problem.
The report published in the JAMA Research Letter found that intervention has been shown to reduce overdose risk, but that potential intervention opportunities represented by overdoses are often underutilized. The research letter found evidence of similar under-utilization among Medicaid patients, who are three times as likely as their commercially-insured counterparts to have an overdose in the first place.
Statistics reveal that for every fatal opioid overdose, there are approximately 30 nonfatal overdoses. The Council on Recovery offers intervention and treatment options to people struggling with opioid addiction, as well as the co-occurring mental health disorders that often accompany addiction. The Council offers clinical assessments and referrals to the most effective treatment options, including Healing Choices, our intensive outpatient treatment program. Call 713.942.4100 for more information or contact us online.