OUD

CE / CME

Module 6: Opioid Use Disorder

Physician Assistants/Physician Associates: 1.00 AAPA Category 1 CME credit

Nurses: 1.00 Nursing contact hour

ABIM MOC: maximum of 1.00 Medical Knowledge MOC point

Optometrists: 1.00 COPE CE credit 

ABP MOC: maximum of 1.00 MOC point

ABS MOC: maximum of 1.00 Continuous Certification credit

ABOHNS MOC: maximum of 1.00 Part II Self-Assessment Credit

ABPath MOC: maximum of 1.00 Lifelong Learning point

Dental Professionals: 1.00 ADA CERP credit

Physicians: maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit

Released: May 31, 2023

Expiration: May 30, 2026

Timothy Atkinson
Timothy Atkinson, PharmD, BCPS, CPE

Activity

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Course Completed

Trends in Opioid Availability

In terms of trends in opioid availability over time, opioid prescribing was really at its peak around 2012.6-9 Statistics show that in the period between 2006‑2019, opioid prescribing fell 35%.

There has also been a significant Drug Enforcement Administration–mandated reduction in manufacturing of prescription opioids. Although this might lead to some shortages in prescription opioid availability, it also has led to decreased availability for prescribing and potential overdoses.

During that same period of time, buprenorphine has been the only opioid with steady increases in prescribing. This is due to the fact that buprenorphine is not only used for pain but is used for the treatment of OUD and is one of the primary strategies used for addressing OUD treatment effectively. In addition, regulations now allow nurse practitioners and physician associates to prescribe this drug.

National Treatment Admissions by Substance

These data are from the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) report, managed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Department of Health and Human Services. They illustrate the number of people who have sought treatment for substance use disorders for various substances across the years 2010-2020.10

For opiates, those numbers have risen over time. However, treatment for OUD actually declined starting in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. These clinic shutdowns were reflected in the increasing numbers of overdoses during this same time period.  
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Drug Use Behaviors, by Type of Academic Grades Earned: United States, Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2015

In an interesting comparison of academic performance and drug use,11 this study showed that students with higher academic grades are less likely to engage in drug use, such as using marijuana, taking prescription drugs without a prescription, or using heroin.