The Urban/Rural Divide in Access to Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in Utah

Death by drug poisoning is the leading cause of death due to injury in the state of Utah (UDOH, 2014). From 2013-2015, Utah ranked seventh in the nation for drug overdose deaths, the majority of which were opioid-related (CDC, 2018a). In 2017, the age-adjusted mortality rate from drug overdose in Utah was 15.5 per 100,000, putting the state above the national average of 14.9 per 100,000 (CDC, 2018b). Opioid overdose death rates in most of rural Utah far exceeds rates across the urban counties of the state. The higher rates of deaths in rural Utah is indeed concerning. Evidence indicates that rural areas are particularly hard hit due to limited access to care and resources (USDA, 2019). Three kinds of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) approved for treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) include: methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone (SAMHSA, 2019a). These medications block the euphoric effect of drugs, relieve cravings, and stabilize brain chemistry without the negative side effects of the previously abused drug (SAMHSA, 2019b). This fact sheet gives details about MAT for opioid use disorder

Scaling Community Health Coalitions: The Well Connected Communities Pilot Initiative

We outline the process and development of the Well Connected Communities health initiative as undertaken in three Utah communities. This transformative community-focused alternative to addressing public health issues through Extension situates local communities as the origin for health decision making. The initiative recognizes the need for varied community statuses (i.e., planner, implementer, and innovator) based on varying levels of readiness and diversity of populations. We concluded that the Utah Well Connected Communities initiative aligns well with the 2014 Extension Committee on Organization and Policy National Framework for Health and Wellness. Replication requirements and implications for other Extension programs are presented

Logical independence and quantum randomness

We propose a link between logical independence and quantum physics. We demonstrate that quantum systems in the eigenstates of Pauli group operators are capable of encoding mathematical axioms and show that Pauli group quantum measurements are capable of revealing whether or not a given proposition is logically dependent on the axiomatic system. Whenever a mathematical proposition is logically independent of the axioms encoded in the measured state, the measurement associated with the proposition gives random outcomes. This allows for an experimental test of logical independence. Conversely, it also allows for an explanation of the probabilities of random outcomes observed in Pauli group measurements from logical independence without invoking quantum theory. The axiomatic systems we study can be completed and are therefore not subject to Goedel's incompleteness theorem.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, published version plus additional experimental appendi

Professional Education to Reduce Provider Stigma Toward Harm Reduction and Pharmacotherapy

Aims: A novel professional training was developed to reduce stigma toward harm reduction and pharmacotherapy for substance use disorders. Methods: The training was delivered over three sessions to n = 147 health professionals in Utah between 2019 and 2020, including n = 40 substance use disorder treatment professionals. Pre and post-training survey measures provided evaluation information on knowledge, attitudes, and planned action regarding harm reduction and pharmacotherapy. Items were grouped into a stigma score, and multilevel modeling, regression analyses, and McNemar tests were used to quantify changes in overall stigma toward harm reduction interventions both before and after the training. Results: The training significantly decreased the total stigma score toward harm reduction (b = -0.09, p \u3c .001, β = -0.34). At the individual item level, 6 of the 22 items showed significant change in reduced stigma (all p \u3c .047), and all items moved in the direction of decreased stigma. These items include both attitudes and planned action aspects of the total stigma score. Conclusions: This study suggests that education targeting prejudice and discriminatory actions against harm reduction and pharmacotherapy interventions among healthcare professionals may contribute to stigma reduction. These results provide a basis for intervention effectiveness, addressing preconceived ideas, and show community need for such substance use interventions, as a component of future stigma reduction efforts

If You Suspect Your Child Is Using Opioids

Opioid use disorders touch the lives of many families, and numerous factors influence the decision to use substances. Your child’s drug use does not mean that you are unsuccessful at parenting. This fact sheet considers actions a parent can take to support a child suspected of using opioids. A number of local and national resources are also listed for further guidance and support services

Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and Pregnancy in Utah

Over the past twenty years, opioid use during pregnancy has become much more common (Haight et al., 2018). Opioids may be prescribed for pain management or the treatment of an opioid use disorder (OUD). For example, methadone or buprenorphine are medications recommended for pregnant women with OUD. Opioid use may also include misusing prescription painkillers or using illicit drugs such as heroin. Regardless of the nature of opioid use, it is important for pregnant women to know how opioid use can impact their pregnancy and what treatment options are available

A Crisis of Her Own: Fatal Opioid Overdose, Opioid Use Disorder, and Intimate Partner Violence Among Rural Utah Women

The Centers for Disease Control report that the rate of overdose deaths among women is rapidly increasing, with women experiencing a 532% increase in fatal opioid overdose deaths between 1999 and 2017, compared to a 355% increase for men. Among women, those in rural areas have disproportionately higher drug overdose death rates than women in urban areas (Mazure & Fiellin, 2018), indicating an opportunity for targeted rural public health interventions to slow overdose fatality increases among women. This fact sheet reviews Utah trends, potential factors increasing fatal opioid overdose, intimate partner violence and substance use disorders, and provides resources for getting help

Cross-Cultural Collaborations for Addressing Opioid Use Disorder in Utah

Cross-cultural collaboration allows for more effective interventions for opioid use disorder among tribal communities. Practicing cultural humility, incorporating Indigenous knowledge, and amplifying Indigenous voices are crucial to the cross-cultural collaboration process. This process can ensure that interventions that address opioid use disorder meet the needs of tribal communities

Opioid Fast Facts for Parents

This fact sheet explains what opioids are and how they are used--or misused, which can lead to opioid use disorder (OUD). The information provided can help parents understand what questions to ask if a doctor prescribes opioids, and ways parents can safeguard their child against opioid misuse. It also includes ideas for managing an emergency, namely, using naloxone to address overdose

Demonstration of Controllable Temporal Distinguishability in a Three-Photon State

Multi-photon interference is at the heart of the recently proposed linear optical quantum computing scheme and plays an essential role in many protocols in quantum information. Indistinguishability is what leads to the effect of quantum interference. Optical interferometers such as Michaelson interferometer provide a measure for second-order coherence at one-photon level and Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometer was widely employed to describe two-photon entanglement and indistinguishability. However, there is not an effective way for a system of more than two photons. Recently, a new interferometric scheme was proposed to quantify the degree of multi-photon distinguishability. Here we report an experiment to implement the scheme for three-photon case. We are able to generate three photons with different degrees of temporal distinguishability and demonstrate how to characterize them by the visibility of three-photon interference. This method of quantitative description of multi-photon indistinguishability will have practical implications in the implementation of quantum information protocols