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Purpose: Buprenorphine is a highly effective medication for opioid use disorder (OUD) that remains substantially underutilized by primary care professionals (PCPs). This is particularly true in rural communities, which have fewer prescribers and significant access disparities. The Drug Enforcement Administration removed the X‐waiver requirement in December 2022, yet many rural clinicians still report barriers to prescribing buprenorphine. In this study, we examined rural PCPs' experiences with buprenorphine to identify tailored training strategies for rural practice. Methods: Physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician associates practicing in rural Ohio counties were recruited through contacts at statewide health associations and health professions training programs. Twenty‐three PCPs were interviewed about their perspectives on prescribing buprenorphine, including their training history. Findings: PCPs self‐reported being motivated to respond to OUD. However, they also reported that current training efforts failed to equip them with the knowledge and resources needed to prescribe effectively, and that urban‐focused training often alienated rural clinicians. Participants suggested tailoring training content to rural settings, using rural trainers, and bolstering confidence in navigating rural‐specific barriers, such as resource deficits and acute opioid fatigue. Conclusion: Our study found that current training on buprenorphine prescribing is inadequate for meeting the needs of rural PCPs. Tailored buprenorphine training is needed to improve accessibility and acceptability, and to better support the clinical workforce in communities disproportionately impacted by the opioid epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant challenge in the United States' response to COVID-19 continues to be wide variation in the extent to which individuals believe the virus is a credible health threat and are willing to undertake measures to protect personal and public health. In this study, data were collected from a national sample of 1141 participants from the United States to examine how beliefs and behavioral responses to COVID-19 have been shaped by sociopolitical characteristics. The relationships between social predictors; perceived severity, knowledge, and fear of the virus; and health behaviors were tested using path analysis. Social characteristics significantly predicted perceived severity, knowledge, and fear, as well as health behaviors, even after controlling for an objective indicator of the risk of contracting the virus. Our findings suggest that perceptions and knowledge of the virus, especially believing that the virus poses a serious threat to one's individual health, are important determinants of behavior, but also that perceptions and knowledge are strongly driven by social and cultural factors above and beyond political affiliation., Author(s): Berkeley Franz [sup.1] , Lindsay Y. Dhanani [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.20627.31, 0000 0001 0668 7841, Department of Social Medicine, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, , Grosvenor [...]

Objectives: To investigate the availability of Alzheimer's Centers (ACs) in US hospitals. Methods: Utilizing the American Hospital Association Annual Survey, Area Health Resource File, and US Census (n = 3251), we employed multivariable logistic regression to examine hospital, county, and regional predictors of AC availability. Results: Large hospitals (>399 beds) had approximately 14 times higher odds of having an AC than small hospitals (<50 beds; OR = 14.0; 95% CI = 6.44 – 30.46). Counties with a higher proportion of Latino residents, relative to non-Latino Whites, had lower odds of having an AC (OR =.05; 95% CI =.01 –.41). Northeastern (OR = 1.92; 95% CI = 1.15 – 3.22) and Midwestern (OR = 2.12; 95% CI = 1.34 – 3.37) hospitals had higher odds of having an AC than Southern hospitals. Discussion: To address dementia needs and disparities, investment in a national infrastructure is critical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]