Frontlines Spring 2021
Quick updates about the latest public health news from across the School and beyond.
A crisis on top of a crisis: COVID-19 and the opioid epidemic
Michael Barnett, assistant professor of health policy and management at Harvard Chan School, discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic has posed challenges for people struggling with opioid use disorder.
Secret shopper study raises concerns about cost, recruitment tactics of addiction treatment programs
An audit of more than 600 residential care programs for opioid use disorder raised concerns about high costs and misleading recruitment practices by the programs, according to new research from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The…
Opioid epidemic part of broader public health challenges
Katherine Swartz sees the opioid epidemic as part of a broader set of public health challenges related to mental health and disparities in treatment options for people with substance use disorders.
Addressing the opioid crisis: lessons learned from New York City
See Transcript [MUSIC PLAYING] DAVID LEVIN: You're listening to Harvard Chan-- This Week in Health. I'm David Levin. MARY BASSETT: Well, we've seen a real transition from handcuffs to help, and the idea that people who have problem…
U.S. life expectancy slightly increases for first time in four years
Life expectancy in the U.S. inched up for the first time in four years, according to two reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. The primary contributor to the uptick was…
Addressing the opioid crisis: unpacking stigma
See Transcript [MUSIC PLAYING] DAVID LEVIN: You're listening to Harvard Chan: This Week in Health. I'm David Levin. Today, we're talking about stigma and addiction. SHELLY GREENFIELD: Addiction itself doesn't discriminate. It's not about white or black or…
Addressing the opioid crisis: ending over-prescription
See Transcript [MUSIC PLAYING] DAVID LEVIN: You're listening to Harvard Chan, This Week in Health. I'm David Levin. Today, we're talking about how opioid painkillers are being overprescribed and what some health care providers are doing to fix…
Strong link found between auto plant closures and spike in opioid deaths
Auto plant closures were associated with a dramatic increase in opioid overdose deaths across the U.S. South and Midwest, according to a recent study. The study looked at opioid-related deaths from 1999 to 2016 in 112 counties near…
Study finds recent legislation improving access to treatment for opioid use disorder
A federal policy aimed at improving access in rural areas to buprenorphine, a key medication for treating opioid use disorder, appears to be working, according to new research led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Known…