Citation

Kariisa M, Seth P, Jones CM. J. Am. Med. Assoc. JAMA 2023; 329(1): 95-96.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, American Medical Association)

DOI

10.1001/jama.2022.19073

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In Reply We thank Dr Kirkegaard and Ms Manaugh for raising the importance of expanding access to MOUD, especially among populations who are incarcerated and justice-involved. Expanding equitable access to MOUD is critical to address overdoses in these populations, given high rates of substance use disorders, overrepresentation of racial and ethnic minorities in the justice system, and the very high risk of drug overdose during reentry. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS) showed that nearly 1 in 11 overdose decedents in 2020 were recently released from an institution (eg, prisons/jails, residential treatment facilities, and psychiatric hospitals). Furthermore, among certain populations, such as Black individuals, incarceration for drug-related offenses is disproportionately high. In particular, Black men are up to 10 times more likely to be incarcerated for drug-related offenses as White men. This disparity reinforces the need for equitable access to MOUD and other evidence-based treatments.

Language: en