ResearchProjects

Racial disparities in the use of opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment have been well documented in the literature. One relatively understudied area of racial disparities in access to evidence-based OUD treatment are services offered directly by hospitals and through community-benefit investments that support the delivery of OUD treatment more broadly by community partners. These hospital-initiated or supported OUD treatment strategies are especially critical given the widespread emergence of COVID-19 and subsequent disruptions to the healthcare and social safety nets that may widen health disparities among racial/socio-economic lines. This study aimed to describe changes in OUD services offered by hospitals before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and examined the association between the provision of hospital initiatives to address OUD and the racial composition of the surrounding community.