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Johnathan H Goree,1 Nivetha Srinivasan,2 Michael A Cucciare,3– 5 Nickolas Zaller,6 Lauren Byers,1 Beatrice Boateng,7 Corey J Hayes4,8 1Department of Anesthesiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA; 2College of Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA; 3Department of Psychiatry, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA; 4Center for Mental Healthcare and Outcomes Research, Central Arkansas Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, North Little Rock, AR, USA; 5Veterans Affairs South Central Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, North Little Rock, AR, USA; 6Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA; 7Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA; 8Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USACorrespondence: Johnathan H GoreeUniversity of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Department of Anesthesiology, 4301 West Markham Street, Box 515, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USATel +1 501-686-8818Fax +1 501-526-7217Email Jhgoree@uams.eduObjective: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a video-based, patient-focused opioid education tool delivered in the perioperative period would decrease acute and chronic post-operative opioid prescription dispensations and increase self-rated knowledge about opioids.Methods: We enrolled 110 patients with no reported opioid use in the previous 30 days, undergoing ambulatory surgery for breast, orthopedic, gynecologic, or other outpatient procedures for which opioids would be prescribed. Patients were randomized to receive either post-operative opioid education by the surgical team (control arm) or pre-operative education via a novel 5-minute video plus post-operative education by the surgical team (intervention arm). All patients received follow-up phone calls on post-operative day (POD) 7 to assess self-rated knowledge of opioids on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being most informed, and self-reported opioid use (primary outcome). Arkansas Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (AR PDMP) data were obtained to assess opioid dispensations at POD 90– 150 days.Results: Seventy-seven percent of participants completed POD7 survey. Participants in the intervention arm rated their knowledge of opioids after surgery significantly higher than those in the control arm (p=0.013). Data from the AR PDMP reveal trends (non-significant) that show increased use of opioids in the control group when compared to the video intervention group at POD 30 (88.7% vs 76%) and POD 90– 150 (22.6% vs 10%).Conclusion: Video-based, patient-focused opioid education can be effectively implemented in a large university hospital during the perioperative period and is effective for increasing a patient’s perception of opioid-related knowledge. A fully powered, randomized control trial is needed to further explore observed trends and determine if this novel tool can decrease chronic post-operative opioid dispensations.Keywords: opioids, perioperative, video education, acute pain, chronic pain, ambulatory surgery

Abstract Background New HIV diagnoses related to injection drug use (IDU) have declined in the United States. Access to clean syringes and decreasing HIV transmission among injection drug users have been HIV prevention priorities of the Rhode Island (RI) HIV community. To examine trends in IDU-related new HIV diagnoses in RI, we performed a retrospective analysis of new HIV diagnoses according to HIV risk factor from 1990–2003. Results There has been an 80% absolute reduction in IDU-related new HIV diagnoses in RI coincident with IDU-specific prevention efforts. Conclusion There has been a greater decline in IDU-related new HIV diagnoses in Rhode Island compared to national data reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We hypothesize that this dramatic decline in Rhode Island is related to extensive HIV prevention efforts targeting IDUs. Further research is needed to examine the impact of specific HIV prevention interventions for injection drug users.

Purpose: We sought to identify trends and characteristics associated with the availability of tailored mental health services for individuals involved in the criminal justice system and ordered to treatment by a court, nationally in the US and by state., Methods: We used National Mental Health Services Survey to identify outpatient mental health treatment facilities in the US (2016 n = 4744; 2018 n = 4626; 2020 n = 4869). We used clustered multiple logistic regression to identify changes over time as well as facility- and state-level factors associated with the availability of specialty court-ordered services., Results: Slightly more than half of the outpatient mental health treatment facilities offered specialized services for individuals ordered to treatment by a court, with wide variation between states. Nationally, there was a significant increase in the odds of offering court-ordered treatment in 2020 compared to 2016 (aOR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.06-1.27, p < 0.01). Notable associations included offering integrated substance use treatment (versus none, aOR = 2.95, 95% CI = 2.70-3.22, p < 0.0001) and offering trauma therapy (versus none, aOR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.85-2.27, p < 0.0001)., Conclusion: The availability of mental health services for individuals ordered to treatment by a court is growing nationally but several states are lagging behind. Court ordered treatment is a promising strategy to improve health and reduce reliance on the carceral system as a healthcare provider. At the same time, we express caution around disparities within behavioral health courts and advocate for equity in access to incarceration alternatives., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany.)

At the intersection of drug policy, the opioid crisis, and fragmented care systems, persons with opioid use disorder (OUD) in the United States are significantly vulnerable to contact with the criminal legal system (CLS). In CLS settings, provision of evidence-based treatment for OUD is variable and often secondary to punitive approaches. Linkage facilitation at every touch point along the CLS Sequential Intercept Model has potential to redirect persons with OUD into recovery-oriented systems of care, increase evidence-based OUD treatment connections, and therefore reduce CLS re-exposure risk. Research in this area is still nascent. Thus, this narrative review explores the state of the science on linkage facilitation across the varied CLS contexts, including general barriers, facilitators, and opportunities for using linkage facilitation for OUD treatment and related services. Following the CLS Sequential Intercept Model, the specific CLS contexts examined include community services, police encounters, the courts (pre- and post-disposition), incarceration (pre-trial detention, jail, and prison), reentry (from jails, prisons, and unified systems), and community supervision (probation and parole). Examples of innovative linkage facilitation interventions are drawn from the Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN). Areas for future research and policy change are highlighted to advance the science of linkage facilitation for OUD services in the CLS., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Crisis Stabilization Units (CSUs) are short-term residential facilities that provide care to people experiencing mental health crises, seeking to reduce reliance on local emergency departments and avoid unnecessary jail detention. Despite these intentions, there is little foundational literature to support research on CSU efficacy and a dearth of research on the sociodemographic characteristics and specific needs of CSU patients. Here, we recruited and surveyed 208 participants admitted to one of two focal Arkansas CSUs on their sociodemographic characteristics, justice-involvement, mental health, substance use, and health care utilization. Results revealed that participants were mostly unemployed (68.16%), low-income (72.34%), and experiencing insecure housing (33.33%). They reported extensive justice-involvement (85.57%), high rates of clinically significant mental illness symptom severity (77.00% for anxious symptoms; 78.33% for depressive symptoms; 79.40% for traumatic stress symptoms), and recent substance use (73.34%). Recent engagement with other medical services was common, though more participants reported visiting an emergency department (42.23%) than did receiving outpatient medical care (26.73%). While research on CSU patient outcomes is needed, our results indicate that CSUs have the potential to be an essential part of the health care continuum by serving a population with multiple, intersecting needs and addressing a deficit in community-based crisis care. Continued investigation of community-based crisis intervention services is critical to bridging the gap between vital behavioral health resources and the populations in need of them. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Introduction: Methamphetamine detoxification before entering formal and longer term treatment may have a positive impact on treatment retention and success. Understanding geographic distribution of methamphetamine specialty detox services and differential access by race/ethnicity is critical for establishing policies that ensure equitable access across populations., Methods: We used the Mental health and Addiction Treatment Tracking Repository to identify treatment facilities that offered any substance use detoxification in 2021 (N=2346) as well as the census block group in which they were located. We sourced data from the US Census Bureau to identify the percentage of a census block group that was White, Black, and Hispanic. We used logistic regression to model the availability of methamphetamine-specific detox, predicted by the percentage of a block group that was Black and Hispanic. We adjusted for relevant covariates and defined state as a random effect. We calculated model-based predicted probabilities., Results: Over half (60%) of detox facilities offered additional detox services specifically for methamphetamine. Sixteen states had <10 methamphetamine-specific detox facilities. The predicted probability of methamphetamine-specific detox availability was 60% in census block groups with 0%-9% Black residents versus only 46% in census block groups with 90%-100% Black residents, and was 61% in census block groups with 0%-9% Hispanic residents versus 30% in census block groups with 90%-100% Hispanic residents., Conclusions: During an unprecedented national methamphetamine crisis, access to a critical health care service was disproportionately lower in communities that were predominately Black and Hispanic. We orient our findings around a discussion of health disparities, residential segregation, and the upstream causes of the systematic exclusion of minoritized communities from health care., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To characterize aging-related health in women with past CLSI and compare with women with no-CLSI., Method: Health and Retirement Study Wave 11 and 12 data from women age >50 with CLSI were compared with data from women age >50 with no-CLSI. Generalized linear models were estimated for aging-related health outcomes., Results: The group with CLSI ( n = 230) was significantly younger than the no-CLSI group ( n = 8035) yet had more physical, functional, and mental health challenges and fewer resources. Incarceration significantly predicted aging-related outcomes of multimorbidity, polypharmacy, mortality, frailty, and depression., Discussion: Earlier onset of physical and functional health conditions in women with past CLSI has implications for health education and promotion, clinical practice, and intervention design., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

The integration of multiple ancillary services into mental health treatment settings may improve outcomes, but there are no national studies addressing whether comprehensive services are distributed equitably. We investigated whether the availability of a wide range of service types differs based on the facility's racial/ethnic composition. We used the 2020 National Mental Health Services Survey to identify twelve services offered in outpatient mental health treatment facilities (N = 1,074 facilities). We used logistic regression to model each of the twelve services, predicted by the percentage of a facility's clientele that was White, Black, and Hispanic, adjusted for covariates. Facilities with the highest proportions of Black and Hispanic clientele demonstrated the lowest predicted probabilities of offering comprehensive and integrated services. Our findings offer context around upstream factors that may, in part, drive treatment disparities. We orient our findings around frameworks of structural racism and inequities in mental healthcare., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) in China have a high risk for HIV infection but experience suboptimal rates of HIV testing and service engagement due to various social and structural barriers. We developed a mobile health (mHealth) intervention entitled "WeTest-Plus" (WeTest+) as a user-centered "one-stop service" approach for delivering access to comprehensive information about HIV risk, HIV self-testing, behavioral and biomedical prevention, confirmatory testing, treatment, and care., Objective: The goal of the current study was to investigate the feasibility of WeTest+ to provide continuous HIV services to high-risk MSM., Methods: Participants completed a 3-week pilot test of WeTest+ to examine acceptability, feasibility, and recommendations for improvement. Participants completed a structured online questionnaire and qualitative exit interviews facilitated by project staff. "Click-through" rates were assessed to examine engagement with online content., Results: 28 participants were included, and the average age was 27.6 years (standard deviation = 6.8). Almost all participants (96.4%) remained engaged with the WeTest+ program over a 3-week observational period. The majority (92.9%) self-administered the HIV self-test and submitted their test results through the online platform. Overall click-through rates were high (average 67.9%). Participants provided favorable comments about the quality and relevance of the WeTest+ information content, the engaging style of information presentation, and the user-centered features., Conclusion: This pilot assessment of WeTest+ supports the promise of this program for promoting HIV self-testing and linkage to in-person services for MSM in China. Findings underscore the utility of a user-centered approach to mHealth program design., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed a rapid shift in healthcare delivery towards telehealth services, impacting patient care, including opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment. Regulatory changes eliminated the in-person evaluation requirement for buprenorphine treatment, encouraging adoption of telehealth. This study focused on understanding experiences of primary care providers in predominantly rural areas who used telehealth for OUD treatment during the pandemic., Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 primary care providers. Participants practiced in 13 rural and 9 urban counties in Kentucky and Arkansas. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis., Results: The pandemic significantly impacted healthcare delivery. While telehealth was integrated for behavioral health counseling, in-person visits remained crucial, especially for urine drug screenings. Telehealth experiences varied, with some facing technology issues, while others found it efficient. Telehealth proved valuable for behavioral health counseling and sustaining relationships with established patients. Patients with OUD faced unique challenges, including housing, internet, transportation, and counseling needs. Stigma surrounding OUD affected clinical relationships. Building strong patient-provider relationships emerged as a central theme, emphasizing the value of face-to-face interactions. Regarding buprenorphine training, most found waiver training helpful but lacked formal education., Conclusion: This research offers vital guidance for improving OUD treatment services, especially in rural areas during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights telehealth's value as a tool while acknowledging its limitations. The study underscores the significance of strong patient-provider relationships, the importance of reducing stigma, and the potential for training programs to elevate quality of care in OUD treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

The cancer disparities between people with incarceration histories compared with those who do not have those histories are vast. Opportunities for bolstering cancer equity among those impacted by mass incarceration exist in criminal legal system policy; carceral, community, and public health linkages; better cancer prevention, screening, and treatment services in carceral settings; expansion of health insurance; education of professionals; and use of carceral sites for health promotion and transition to community care. Clinicians, researchers, persons with a history of incarceration, carceral administrators, policy makers, and community advocates could play a cancer equity role in each of these areas. Raising awareness and setting a cancer equity plan of action are critical to reducing cancer disparities among those affected by mass incarceration., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Rural jails are increasingly contributing to the overall jail population and little is known about how they differ from non-rural jails. This study compares demographic, behavioral health and criminal/legal histories of 3,797 individuals who booked into three rural jails and seven non-rural jails. In addition, the study assessed how jails identify mental illness, which was compared to an objective screening instrument (Kessler-6). Individuals in rural jails were more likely to be white, female, have a history of mental health services, misuse substances, and to recidivate. After controlling for these differences, they had 1.5 times greater odds of having a mental illness but lower odds of being identified by the jails. Individuals in rural jails have more behavioral health needs and other criminogenic risk factor and their needs are less likely to be identified by jail staff, which may result in poor connection to diversion or treatment opportunities., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Early in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, Black adults consistently reported more hesitancy than White adults, but few studies have examined variation in hesitancy among Black adults or its associations with racial discrimination. Data were collected from Black Arkansas residents age 18 and older (n = 350) between July 12 th and July 30 th , 2021, as part of a larger survey of Arkansans (N = 1500). Participants were recruited through random digit dialing of both landline and cell phones, with oversampling of Black and Hispanic residents. Respondents reported COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, sociodemographic information, influenza vaccination history, pandemic-related experiences, and experiences of racial discrimination. Almost half (48.9%) of Black adults in Arkansas were not hesitant towards COVID-19 vaccines, while the remainder reported some level of hesitancy. Nearly a quarter were very hesitant (22.4%), while fewer reported being somewhat (14.0%) and a little (14.7%) hesitant. Using an ordered logistic regression with partial proportional odds, we find odds of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy decreased as age and influenza vaccination increased. Odds of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy were 1.70 times greater for Black adults who experienced the death of a close friend/family member due to COVID-19 and 2.61 times greater for individuals reporting discrimination with police or in the courts. Within-group analysis revealed nearly half of Black adults did not report any COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and heterogeneity among those who were hesitant. Findings suggest there may be an important link between racial discrimination in the criminal justice system and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Black adults., (© 2022. W. Montague Cobb-NMA Health Institute.)

Objective: The purpose of this study was to understand the uses of telehealth with justice-involved adults under community supervision with substance use problems, including their experiences during the pandemic., Methods: Structured interviews were administered among 17 justice-involved adults under community supervision about their experiences with telehealth services to treat substance use disorders. Thematic coding was used for the analysis., Results: We identified 5 primary themes: (1) knowledge about and experiences with telehealth services during the pandemic; (2) telehealth services available; (3) service changes during the pandemic; and (4) individual motivations around treatment-seeking behavior., Conclusion: Overall, our findings reveal that many individuals on probation or parole appreciate having access to telehealth and found that modality convenient for counseling services. Findings shed light on participants' understanding of telehealth, their experiences in using the modality, and how this modality may serve their needs in other ways. External and internal barriers to accessing telehealth are also discussed., (© 2022 National Rural Health Association.)

Many countries worldwide have implemented dedicated measures, such as shelter at home, to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus. However, those mitigation measures may have major implications for individuals living with someone abusive or controlling. Domestic violence (DV) may be one of the unintended consequences of public health measures due to increased various stressors and reduced access to support and services. There has been a lack of empirical research on DV victimization among gender and sexual minorities, a population vulnerable to interpersonal violence and its associated adverse health outcomes. This study investigates the prevalence of DV victimization among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Jiangsu Province, China, during the COVID-19 lockdown and its correlates with COVID-19-related psychosocial and health stressors. A total of 413 MSM were recruited via snowball sampling, venue-based, and internet-based sampling from four cities in Jiangsu Province. After providing informed consent, all participants completed study questionnaires, followed by HIV testing. Over a quarter of the participants (27.4%) reported DV victimization during the COVID-19 lockdown, including experience of verbal, physical, or sexual abuse. After adjusting sociodemographic factors, DV victimization was associated with various adverse experiences during the COVID-19 lockdown, including increased stress or anxiety level, increased alcohol use, and housing instability. Study findings underscore the prevalence of DV victimization among MSM during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. The results can inform public health efforts to raise awareness and address DV victimization among MSM in the low- and middle-income country context during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adequate health and social services and economic resources are also critical to address the needs of MSM experiencing DV victimization.

Background: With increased hospitalizations and deaths related to opioid use disorder, there is an impetus for federal and private insurance companies to provide coverage for integrative treatments that address pain. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the current literature recommend that nonpharmacological and nonopioid treatments must be considered for chronic pain management. The continued examination of potential coverage and cost-effectiveness for opioid-sparing alternatives with proven efficacy is critical for physicians who treat chronic pain., Study Design: Qualitative analysis of coverage policies for 10 alternative chronic back pain therapies was completed using the most up-to-date publicly available information from federal and state databases until September 2021., Objectives: To determine coverage for opioid-sparing treatments for chronic back pain across federal and state healthcare systems., Methods: We selected the alternative therapies from the National Institute of Health's National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) (www.nccih.nih.gov). We then collected and analyzed coverage policies for federal and state healthcare plans, including Medicare, Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Indian Health Services (IHS), and Medicaid, by accessing federal databases and state policy databases via the department of health and human services (HHS)., Results: The 2 most commonly covered nonpharmacologic therapies for chronic back pain are physical therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. Other more novel therapies have a heterogenous distribution among federal and state healthcare coverage. Assessment of regional differences determined that the median number of treatments in the Northeast and Midwest was 3, while in the South and West, it was 2., Limitations: Several provider manuals included varying degrees of information regarding their services. Some states included all pertinent information, such as the definition of treatment, the exact number of service visits allowed annually, and whether prior authorization was necessary. Many manuals provided less information than this. Each state's Medicaid document contained inherent variability, especially with respect to when they were updated or published. Some states had updated information available for 2021, while the most updated policies for other states included documents that were last updated in 2008., Conclusions: Integrative treatments for chronic back pain are currently available, yet coverage varies widely depending on the patient's Medicare or Medicaid status. Different states cover different therapies, which may lead to unequal healthcare outcomes for patients with chronic pain.

Introduction: The US South is the epicenter of the epidemic of mass incarceration. Prisons have experienced substantial challenges in preventing COVID-19. Incarcerated individuals and prison staff are at a high risk for infection due to minimal available preventive measures. Prisons are not closed systems and many staff come from communities in close proximity to the facility. Characteristics of the communities immediately surrounding prisons are an overlooked but critical factor to better understand the role prisons play in pandemics., Methods: We used facility-level COVID-19 data from the COVID Prison Project to identify the number of unique outbreaks between May 2019 and May 2020. We used a county-level composite indicator of economic distress (DCI score) to identify the environment surrounding each prison (2015-2019). We modeled the number of outbreaks to DCI scores using negative binomial regression, adjusting for race/ethnicity (African American and Latino/Hispanic), age (65 and older), and rurality level., Results: Our sample included 570 prisons in 368 counties across 13 Southern states. We found that score was positively and significantly associated with prison COVID-19 outbreaks (aRR, 1.012; p < 0.0001), and rurality was potentially a stronger surrogate measure of economic distress (aRR, 1.35; p, 0.02). Economic stability is a key precursor to physical health. Poorer communities have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, and we found that prisons located in these communities were more susceptible to recurring outbreaks. Prison-based disease prevention interventions should consider the impact that the outside world has on the health of incarcerated individuals., (© The Author(s) 2022.)

Background: Methamphetamine use disorder has increased rapidly in the past decade. Injecting is also increasing and has multifaceted implications for disease severity, overall health, and treatment outcomes, but less is known about where or among whom injecting has shifted the most. This national study assessed temporal changes in the preferred route of methamphetamine administration by race/ethnicity and within urban/rural geographies., Methods: We used the Treatment Episode Dataset-Discharges (2010-2019) to identify outpatient treatment cases who reported methamphetamine as their primary drug of choice at admission (N = 531,799; 2010 n = 33,744; 2019 n = 81,885). We created a combined variable indicating race/ethnicity and the rural/urban location of treatment, and used logistic regression to model the predicted probability of cases reporting injection, smoking, or snorting as their preferred route of administration. We included an interaction term to determine differences over time (race/ethnicity/rurality*year)., Results: Across all years, smoking methamphetamine was the most common route of administration (66%), followed by injection (24%) and snorting (10%). Over time and among most sub-groups, the rates of injection increased while the rates of smoking decreased. Compared to 2010, the odds of injecting methamphetamine in 2019 were highest among Black cases in urban areas (aOR = 2.30, 95% CI = 1.76-3.00, p < 0.0001)., Conclusion: Increasing methamphetamine injection was most pronounced among Black treatment cases in more urban areas, which is in contrast to the longstanding narrative that methamphetamine is a White and rural drug. Methamphetamine prevention, treatment, and harm reduction should target populations with high injection prevalence and growing incidence., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

To explore the attitude towards COVID-19 vaccination among healthcare workers in the US, we surveyed three groups of individuals (essential non-healthcare workers, general healthcare workers, and correctional healthcare workers). We found surprisingly high portions of healthcare workers with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy/resistance, with 23% of correctional healthcare workers and 17% general healthcare workers (as compared to 12%) refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Multivariate regression models suggest that current season flu vaccination (aOR = 3.34), relying on employer for COVID-19 information (aOR = 3.69), and living in the Midwest (aOR = 5.04) to be strongly associated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among essential workers and general healthcare workers. Current season flu vaccination (aOR = 7.52) is also strongly associated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among correctional healthcare workers. Potential mechanisms of vaccine hesitancy/resistance among healthcare workers involves low health literacy and employer mistrust. Our findings are highly relevant as we try to reach COVID-19 vaccination goals in the US., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Purpose: Aging and mental illness both represent significant public health challenges for incarcerated people in the USA. The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the vulnerabilities of incarcerated people because of the risks of infectious disease transmission in correctional facilities. Focusing on older adults with mental illness, this paper aims to examine efforts to decarcerate US correctional facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic and whether these approaches may lead to sustainable reforms beyond the pandemic., Design/methodology/approach: A narrative literature review was conducted using numerous online resources, including PubMed, Google Scholar and LexisNexis. Search terms used included "decarceration pandemic," "COVID-19 decarceration," "aging mental illness decarceration," "jails prisons decarceration," "early release COVID-19" and "correctional decarceration pandemic," among others. Given the rapidly changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, this narrative literature review included content from not only scholarly articles and federal and state government publications but also relevant media articles and policy-related reports. The authors reviewed these sources collaboratively to synthesize a review of existing evidence and opinions on these topics and generate conclusions and policy recommendations moving forward., Findings: To mitigate the risks of COVID-19, policymakers have pursued various decarceration strategies across the USA. Some efforts have focused on reducing inflow into correctional systems, including advising police to reduce numbers of arrests and limiting use of pretrial detention. Other policies have sought to increase outflow from correctional systems, such as facilitating early release of people convicted of nonviolent offenses or those nearing the end of their sentences. Given the well-known risks of COVID-19 among older individuals, age was commonly cited as a reason for diverting or expediting release of people from incarceration. In contrast, despite their vulnerability to complications from COVID-19, people with serious mental illness (SMI), particularly those with acute treatment needs, may have been less likely in some instances to be diverted or released early from incarceration., Originality/value: Although much has been written about decarceration during the COVID-19 pandemic, little attention has been paid to the relevance of these efforts for older adults with mental illness. This paper synthesizes existing proposals and evidence while drawing attention to the public health implications of aging and SMI in US correctional settings and explores opportunities for decarceration of older adults with SMI beyond the COVID-19 pandemic., (© Emerald Publishing Limited.)

Objectives. To identify client- and state-level factors associated with positive treatment response among heroin and opioid treatment episodes in the United States. Methods. We used national data from 46 states using the Treatment Episode Dataset‒Discharges (2018) to identify heroin and opioid treatment episodes (n = 162 846). We defined positive treatment response as a decrease in use between admission and discharge. We used multivariable regression, stratified by race/ethnicity, to identify demographic, pain-related, and state-level factors associated with positive treatment response. Results. Lower community distress was the strongest predictor of better treatment outcomes across all racial/ethnic groups, particularly among White and American Indian/Alaska Native episodes. A primary opioid of heroin was associated with worse outcomes among White and Hispanic episodes. Legislation limiting opioid dispensing was associated with better outcomes among Hispanic episodes. Buprenorphine availability was strongly associated with better outcomes among Black episodes. Conclusions. State-level variables, particularly community distress, had greater associations with positive treatment outcomes than client-level variables. Public Health Implications. Changes in state-level policies and increased resources directed toward areas of high community distress have the potential to improve opioid use disorder treatment and reduce racial/ethnic disparities in treatment outcomes. ( Am J Public Health . 2022;112(S1):S66-S76. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306503).

Objectives: Some of community mitigation efforts on COVID-19 created challenges to ongoing public health programs, including HIV care and prevention services among men who have sex with men (MSM). The goal of the current study was to explore sociodemographic factors and the impact of COVID-19 on HIV testing among Chinese MSM during state-enforced quarantine., Methods: We conducted a community based survey between May 1st to June 30th, 2020 on COVID-19 related impacts on HIV testing among 436 China MSM during the COVID-19 state-enforced quarantine., Results: One-third (33.7%) of MSM received HIV testing during the quarantine period. Few participants reported difficulty accessing facility-based testing (n = 13, 3.0%) or obtaining HIV self-test kit online (n = 22, 5.0%). However, 12.1% of participants reported being afraid of getting facility-based HIV test due to concerns about the risk of COVID-19. In the multivariate logistic regression model, participants who were married (aOR: 1.89, 95%CI: 1.19-3.01), reported increased quality of sleep (aOR: 2.07, 95%CI: 1.11-3.86), and increased difficulty in accessing health care (aOR: 2.34, 95%CI: 1.37-3.99) were more likely to get an HIV test during the state-enforced quarantine., Conclusion: The mitigation measures of COVID-19 have created various barriers to access HIV related prevention services in China, including HIV testing. To mitigate these impacts on HIV prevention and care services, future programs need to address barriers to HIV-related services, such as providing high-quality HIV self-testing. Meanwhile, psychological services or other social services are needed to those experiencing mental distress., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Purpose: Homeless opioid treatment clients who transition into housing generally demonstrate better outcomes, but housing environments vary widely and may not benefit racial/ethnic minority populations equally. We sought to identify how race/ethnicity moderates the association between positive opioid treatment response and moving into dependent or independent living environments. Methods: We used the Treatment Episode Dataset-Discharges (2018-2019) to identify outpatient treatment clients who were homeless at admission and indicated heroin or other opioids as their primary drug of choice ( n =  20,021). We defined positive treatment response as a reduction in opioid use between admission and discharge. We used multivariable logistic regression to model treatment response. We included an interaction between housing at discharge (remained homeless [reference], dependent living, or independent living) and race/ethnicity, and adjusted for relevant confounders. Results: Transitioning from homeless to dependent living was positively associated with treatment response among White (aOR = 3.57, 95% CI = 3.15-4.06), Hispanic (aOR = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.55-2.86), and Black clients (aOR = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.41-2.27), but no association was observed for homeless American Indian/Alaska Native clients. Transitioning from homeless to independent living was strongly associated with treatment response among all groups with the strongest association observed among White clients (aOR = 4.70, 95% CI = 4.26-5.19). Conclusions : Interventions aimed at improving OUD treatment outcomes among homeless clients should identify individual and structural factors that support moving into fully housed and independent living environments. Dependent living offers needed support during crises, but should be temporary and priority should be placed on independent, permanent, and autonomous living environments.

Background: People involved in the criminal justice system (PICJS) are at a disproportionate risk for HIV infection. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is highly effective for HIV prevention; however, there are barriers to accessing and remaining on PrEP. We explored perspectives on partnering with a community health worker (CHW) to link PICJS to PrEP., Methods: We interviewed PICJS (n=21) and relevant stakeholders (n=15)., Results: The following themes emerged: 1) All participants were receptive to the idea of a CHW program and believed it would be valuable; 2) the PICJS participating in the CHW program would need immediate contact post-release and continuous follow-up with the CHW; 3) desirable program components included HIV education and information about PrEP; 4) participants mentioned several facilitators and barriers to successfully implementing the CHW program; and 5) the CHW needs to be relatable., Conclusion: Our findings suggest that a PrEP linkage program facilitated by a CHW would be desirable.

The purpose of this evaluation is to describe COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among a sample of youth aged 12-15 and inform efforts to increase vaccination uptake among youth populations. We used data collected in May 2021 through a health education program for 9 th graders (N = 345). We used Spearman correlations and chi-square tests to assess the statistical significance of bivariate relationships. Less than half of students (42%) reported they are not hesitant at all about getting a COVID-19 vaccine. The remainder reported they were "a little hesitant" (22%), "somewhat hesitant" (21%), or "very hesitant" (15%). There were no statistically significant differences across age, gender, race/ethnicity, parental education, self-reported grades, or hours playing video games during school days. There was a statistically significant relationship between COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and hours of TV watched during school days. The prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in this sample is high, but more research is needed to estimate its prevalence for youth at the state or national level. Correlates of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among adult populations may not match those found in youth populations. Research which recognizes youth as agentic rather than passive participants in decision-making opens opportunities for developing age-appropriate health communication and interventions for vaccination.

This research qualitatively explored user preferences for an app-based mHealth approach to support HIV self-testing and linkage to HIV prevention or care services developed for men who have sex with men (MSM) in China. We conducted 12 online focus group discussions with MSM participants (N = 48) about their preferences for using an app to meet their HIV self-testing and service linkage needs. Data were examined using thematic analysis. Participants specified four domains to align program delivery with their preferences for app-based intervention: (1) expanding HIV prevention/antiretroviral therapy concepts beyond basic knowledge; (2) enhancing the style and presentation of app-based messages; (3) incorporating interactive and dynamic app-engagement features; and (4) creating a "one station" app that covers the continuum of HIV services. Given the changing landscapes of HIV knowledge and community/user preferences for app-based interaction, findings underscore how engagement with end-user participants is essential to optimize mHealth interventions for HIV.

Background: The recent surge in hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence is primarily due to increased injection drug use. Opioid treatment programs (OTPs) are a major source of treatment for people at risk for HCV and are ideal settings for on-site HCV testing. The purpose of this national study was to identify state- and facility-level factors associated with HCV testing availability., Methods: We used the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (2019) to identify OTPs in the US (n = 1679). We used multilevel logistic regression to test for an association between HCV testing and state Medicaid expansion status, and assessed whether the association depended on private or non-profit OTP ownership, adjusted for state racial/ethnic minority populations, poverty, Medicaid access to HCV treatment, and HCV, opioid use disorder, and overdose rates., Results: Two-thirds of OTPs offered HCV testing. Medicaid expansion (versus non-expansion) was associated with a higher odds of HCV testing within OTPs owned by non-profits (adjusted odds ratio=1.99, 95% CI=1.02-3.91, p = 0.04). Nearly all non-profit OTPs that were in expansion states had predicted probabilities that were higher than the national average., Conclusion: HCV testing was highest in non-profit OTPs in expansion states. This is concerning given the increasing dominance of private OTPs in the marketplace. Payment structures and reimbursement are likely factors driving the low rate of HCV testing in private facilities and could be addressed with health policies aimed at eliminating HCV. Expanding support for non-profit OTPs also has the potential to strengthen testing rates and improve health., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study investigates PrEP willingness, adherence self-efficacy and potential impact of PrEP among HIV-negative, Chinese men who have sex with men (MSM; n = 622) with recent condomless anal sex. Facilitative factors of PrEP willingness included migrant status, sexual risk, and prior PrEP use, whereas barriers included concerns over being treated as an HIV/AIDS patient, recent HIV testing, identity concealment, and HIV prevention service usage. Adherence self-efficacy was associated with PrEP knowledge and confidence in PrEP efficacy of HIV prevention. A total of 39.3% anticipated increase in sex partners, 25.6% anticipated decrease in condom use, and 38.0% anticipated increased HIV testing following PrEP uptake. Results suggest a two-step approach to (1) promote PrEP acceptance among Chinese MSM and (2) enhance adherence and risk monitoring among PrEP-willing MSM. Efforts to reduce stigma, incorporate PrEP in the HIV prevention continuum, and increase PrEP knowledge will be crucial to optimize PrEP implementation., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Introduction: Face masks are widely recommended as a COVID-19 prevention strategy. State mask mandates have generally reduced the spread of the disease, but decisions to wear a mask depend on many factors. Recent increases in case rates in rural areas following initial outbreaks in more densely populated areas highlight the need to focus on prevention and education. Messaging about disease risk has faced challenges in rural areas in the past. While surges in cases within some communities are likely an impetus for behavior change, rising case rates likely explain only part of mask-wearing decisions. The current study examined the relationship between county-level indicators of rurality and mask wearing in the USA., Methods: National data from the New York Times' COVID-19 cross-sectional mask survey was used to identify the percentage of a county's residents who reported always/frequently wearing a mask (2-14 July 2020). The New York Times' COVID-19 data repository was used to calculate county-level daily case rates for the 2 weeks preceding the mask survey (15 June - 1 July 2020), and defined county rurality using the Index of Relative Rurality (n=3103 counties). Multivariate linear regression was used to predict mask wearing across levels of rurality. The model was adjusted for daily case rates and other relevant county-level confounders, including county-level indicators of age, race/ethnicity, gender, political partisanship, income inequality, and whether each county was subject to a statewide mask mandate., Results: Large clusters of counties with high rurality and low mask wearing were observed in the Midwest, upper Midwest, and mountainous West. Holding daily case rates and other county characteristics constant, the predicted probability of wearing a mask decreased significantly as counties became more rural (&beta;=-0.560; p<0.0001)., Conclusion: Upticks in COVID-19 cases and deaths in rural areas are expected to continue, and localized outbreaks will likely occur indefinitely. The present findings highlight the need to better understand the mechanisms underlying perceptions of COVID-19 risk in rural areas. Dissemination of scientifically correct and consistent information is critical during national emergencies.

Background: Opioid treatment programs (OTPs) are the primary source of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for many individuals with opioid use disorder, including poor and uninsured patients and those involved in the criminal justice (CJ) system. Substance use treatment services that are tailored to the unique needs of patients often produce better outcomes, but little national research has addressed characteristics associated with whether OTPs offer services specifically tailored to community members involved in the CJ system. Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act has broadly strengthened MAT services, but the role of expansion in supporting MAT services that are specifically tailored towards CJ-involved populations remains unknown. Moreover, it is unknown whether the availability of tailored services varies between Medicaid expansion states., Methods: We used the 2019 National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services to identify OTPs in the US (n = 1679) and whether they offered services specifically tailored for CJ-involved patients. We used logistic regression to model the association between OTPs offering tailored services and state Medicaid expansion status, adjusted for state-level opioid overdose and community supervision rates., Results: Nationally, only a quarter of OTPs offered services tailored to CJ populations, and the majority of OTPs (73%) were located in Medicaid expansion states. Compared to OTPs in non-expansion states, OTPs in expansion states demonstrated nearly double the odds of offering tailored services (adjusted odds ratio = 1.90, 95% confidence interval = 1.41-2.57, p < 0.0001). The predicted probability of offering tailored services varied by state; probability estimates for all expansion states were above the national mean, and estimates for all non-expansion states were below the national mean., Conclusion: Our findings reiterate the role of Medicaid in promoting the adoption of comprehensive OTP services for CJ-involved populations. However, the proportion of OTPs that offered tailored services was relatively low, pointing to the need to continually strengthen Medicaid services and coverage.

Objective: Reports of disparities in COVID-19 mortality rates are emerging in the public health literature as the pandemic continues to unfold. Alcohol misuse varies across the US and is related to poorer health and comorbidities that likely affect the severity of COVID-19 infection. High levels of pre-pandemic alcohol misuse in some counties may have set the stage for worse COVID-19 outcomes. Furthermore, this relationship may depend on how rural a county is, as access to healthcare in rural communities has lagged behind more urban areas. The objective of this study was to test for associations between county-level COVID-19 mortality, pre-pandemic county-level excessive drinking, and county rurality., Method: We used national COVID-19 data from the New York Times to calculate county-level case fatality rates (n = 3,039 counties and county equivalents; October 1 -December 31, 2020) and other external county-level data sources for indicators of rurality and health. We used beta regression to model case fatality rates, adjusted for several county-level population characteristics. We included a multilevel component to our model and defined state as a random intercept. Our focal predictor was a single variable representing nine possible combinations of low/mid/high alcohol misuse and low/mid/high rurality., Results: The median county-level COVID-19 case fatality rate was 1.57%. Compared to counties with low alcohol misuse and low rurality (referent), counties with high levels of alcohol and mid (β = -0.17, p = 0.008) or high levels of rurality (β = -0.24, p<0.001) demonstrated significantly lower case fatality rates., Conclusions: Our findings highlight the intersecting roles of county-level alcohol consumption, rurality, and COVID-19 mortality., Competing Interests: The authors have declared no competing interests exist.

The large and continued growth of the older adult population within U.S. prisons affects not only criminal justice policy and correctional health practice, but also gerontology. Amidst the unfolding COVID-19 crisis, associated knowledge and skills surrounding older adulthood will be critical to assuring the needs of older adults incarcerated in prisons are met during their detention, while undergoing off-site intervention in community settings, and when preparing for release. We outline several key areas for which gerontologists and associated practitioners are especially well suited in the effort to curtail morbidity and mortality driven by the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Critical gerontological knowledge and skills needed in prison health care include awareness regarding the unusual clinical presentations of COVID-19 among older adults, deconditioning among older adults due to immobility, challenges in prognostication, and advance care planning with older adults. Specific, targeted opportunities for gerontologists are identified to reduce growing risks for older adults incarcerated in prisons., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

: Correctional settings can be vectors of infectious diseases due to overcrowding, unsanitary living conditions, and very little capacity to engage in social distancing. In the US, COVID-19 outbreaks were first identified in the New York City and Cook County jails, with infection rates far exceeding community rates. Each day new cases are being identified across the country in correctional facilities. People who are incarcerated are at increased risk of experiencing severe COVID-19 symptoms because of the increased prevalence of other underlying illnesses. Jails and prisons have begun initiating facility-level policies to help stop the spread of COVID-19. As a result, correctional agencies have reoriented staff to stem transmission in their facilities. This could translate into limited resources for other programming such as medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) programs. In this commentary, we highlight risk mitigation practices for delivering MOUD in correctional settings during COVID-19 and note how to ensure quality of care while still preparing for the possibility of future pandemics.

Introduction: Opioid agonist treatment (OAT) is an effective means to prevent HIV transmission. Ukraine started integrating HIV services into OAT sites to improve people who inject drugs' (PWID) access to treatment., Methods: Data from the national registry of OAT patients (n = 9,983) were analyzed. These data are collected from all 179 OAT sites countrywide. For the cascade, HIV-positive OAT patients (n = 4,084) were stratified into two categories: OAT alone (received OAT at one site and antiretroviral therapy (ART) at different location, n = 1,789) and integrated care (received OAT and ART at one location, n = 2,295) for comparison., Results: Most HIV-positive OAT patients in Ukraine are male (85.6 %) and the mean age is 40.3 years old. The mean length of injecting before OAT is 17.2 years and the mean length on OAT is 4.2 years. All HIV-positive OAT clients are aware of their HIV status. The proportion of HIV-positive clients receiving ART was higher at integrated care sites compared to OAT alone sites (84.2 vs. 73.1 %, p- = 0.012); distribution of viral suppression among those receiving ART across the strata were 79.4 and 59.2 % for 'integrated care sites' vs. 'OAT only sites' respectively (p < 0.001)., Conclusions: This analysis clearly demonstrates much better progress towards the 90-90-90 goals among those OAT patients who receive integrated care services (both OAT and ART) at one site at each stage of the HIV care cascade as compared to receiving OAT and ART at different sites. There is an urgent need to further expand the integration of OAT and HIV services in Ukraine., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Non-Hispanic Black/African American men who have sex with men (AAMSM) have been disproportionately affected by criminal justice (CJ) involvement and HIV. One potential pathway between CJ involvement and high HIV prevalence and incidence among AAMSM is through risky sexual behavior. The goal of this study was to explore the association between recent CJ involvement, i.e., having been arrested and/or in prison/jail in the past 6 months, and transactional sex in a sample of AAMSM in Baltimore. We analyzed the baseline data of 396 AAMSM from a pilot behavioral HIV intervention conducted in Baltimore, MD, between October 2012 and November 2015. A multivariate logistic regression model was conducted to explore the association between recent CJ involvement and transactional sex. A total of 65 (16%) participants reported recent CJ involvement, and 116 (29%) reported transactional sex in the past 90 days. After adjusting for age, education, employment, sexual identity, HIV status, and drug use, recent CJ involvement was significantly associated with transactional sex (AOR 3.31; 95% CI 1.72; 5.70). Being 24-40 years (AOR 2.73; 95% CI 1.17, 6.33) or over 40 years older (AOR 3.80; 95% CI 1.61, 8.98) vs. younger and using drugs (AOR 4.47; 95% CI 2.43, 8.23) also remained independently associated with recent transactional sex. Findings of the current study contribute to the literature on the association between recent history of CJ involvement and transactional sex among AAMSM. More evidence-based HIV prevention interventions for people involved in the CJ system who are at high risk for contracting HIV, particularly racial and sexual minorities such as AAMSM, are urgently needed.

Background/purpose: HIV testing prevalence is low among young adults (YA) ages 18-24. Previous research supports routine testing among African-American college students. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are uniquely situated to support HIV education and prevention efforts. This study aimed to assess current HIV risk behaviors and current knowledge of PrEP among HBCU students., Methods: In collaboration with a partnering organization, we conducted HIV testing events and HIV risk assessment at four HBCUs in a southern state., Results: Among participants (N = 615), most identified as African American (578, 94.8%), female (377, 61.3%) and 18-24 years old (540, 87.9%). Many (42.3%) had never been tested for HIV. Most reported they had been sexually active in the last year (533, 86.8%) with many reporting 2-5 partners (270, 43.9%). Among males (n = 236), 8.6% reported same sex partners. Many participants reported inconsistent condom use during vaginal sex (242, 46%). Most participants had not heard of PrEP (473, 86.2%)., Conclusion: Considering most participants had one or multiple HIV related risk behaviors, and many had never been tested for HIV, HBCUs may be important venues to promote HIV risk reduction and regular HIV testing., (Copyright © 2020 National Medical Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)