Table 1.
Post-release opioid-related overdose mortality: areas of further research
| Topic | Area of inquiry |
|---|---|
| Investigation of mechanisms | |
| Chronic pain | Prevalence and self-medication hypothesis |
| HIV | Rate of post-release opioid-related overdose and living with HIV |
| Trauma | Rate of post-release opioid-related overdose and trauma exposure |
| Race | Race and opioid use disorder treatment and OAT access |
| Suicidality | Rate of post-release opioid-related overdose and suicidality |
| Mental health (depression, anxiety, and PTSDb) | Prevalence pre and post-release |
| Non-opioid substance use | Prevalence pre and post-release |
| Intermediate determinants associated with substance use disorders | |
| Disrupted social networks | Interventions to assist re-integration during the post release period |
| Poverty | Post-release poverty and mental health and substance use |
| Polydrug use | Prevalence and independent effect of CJa exposure on the risk of polysubstance use |
| Polypharmacy | Relationship between pre and post-release prescribing of sedating medications |
| Effect of probation or parole | Independent effect of probation and parole on post-release opioid related overdose mortality |
| Type of criminal charge or conviction | Relation to stigma and post-release opioid-related overdose risk |
| Relationships between risk factors | Investigation of the mediating or moderating relationships between risk factors |
| Investigation of novel interventions | |
| Chronic pain | Non-opioid pain management within jail or prison |
| Race | Reduction of criminal justice exposure among blacks |
| Interruptions in care | Improve engagement with healthcare services post-release |
| Solitary use | Safe inject sites to reduces rates of solitary use post-release |
| Care coordination | Integrate CJ, healthcare, and community organizations |
| Naltrexone | Effectiveness of reducing opioid-related overdose mortality |
| New formulations of medications | Efficacy and effectiveness of extended release buprenorphine |
| Police diversion programs and drug courts | Process evaluation and effectiveness at reducing criminal justice exposure and opioid-related overdose |
| Implementation and dissemination | |
| Interrupted opioid use disorder treatment and OATc access | OAT programs pre and post-release |
| Interrupted naloxone access | Naloxone program pre and post-release |
aCriminal justice
bPost-traumatic stress disorder
cOpioid agonist therapy