Public Health Commons^™

Hospital-Based Services For Opioid Use Disorder: A Study Of Supply-Side Attributes, Kelsey Caroline Priest

Dissertations and Theses

The United States (U.S.) is in the midst of an opioid overdose epidemic. In the U.S., overdose deaths related to opioid exposure are the leading cause of accidental death, yet life-saving treatments, such as methadone or buprenorphine (opioid agonist therapy [OAT]), are underused. OAT underused is due, in part, to complex regulatory and health services delivery environments. Public health officials and policymakers have focused on expanding OAT access in the community (e.g. office-based buprenorphine treatment, and opioid treatment programs); however, an often-overlooked component of the treatment pathway is the acute care delivery setting, in particular hospitals.

Opioid use disorder (OUD)-related …

Racial Disparities In A State Based Workers' Compensation System, Caroline Kristine Smith

Dissertations and Theses

Racial, ethnic, and linguistic minority workers suffer higher rates of work-related injuries and illnesses in the United States compared to their White counterparts. Explanations for these higher rates include potential socioeconomic causes (education, income, and wealth) and occupational segregation into more dangerous occupations. What is less studied are the post-injury sequelae for minority workers, which is their experiences in the workers' compensation system, as well as their health and return to paid employment. What is known comes primarily from qualitative literature, which includes themes of racial discrimination (from employers, health care providers, and workers' compensation employees), a lack of information …