Early childhood health after prenatal opioid exposure and protective healthcare factors
Disparities in early childhood health outcomes following prenatal opioid exposure and protective health system factors: a population perspective
This project looks at how children exposed to opioids before birth do in their first five years and which health services help them do better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dartmouth College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hanover, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11377076 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If your child was exposed to opioids before birth, this work follows how they fare from birth through age five using linked Medicaid claims, birth certificates, hospital records, mortality files, and WIC program data in Texas. The team will examine why some hospitals diagnose neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) more often than others and whether that variation relates to later health and development. They will measure rates of health problems, developmental delays, and growth concerns in opioid-exposed children and search for patterns of health system supports that seem protective. Findings aim to point to hospital practices and community programs that help opioid-exposed children thrive in early childhood.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children born to people with opioid use disorder and their families, especially those covered by Medicaid in Texas and followed from birth through age five, are the focus of this work.
Not a fit: People without prenatal opioid exposure, children outside the Texas linked datasets, or those not captured in Medicaid/WIC records are unlikely to be included or directly benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could identify hospital and system practices that improve health and developmental outcomes for children exposed to opioids before birth.
How similar studies have performed: Some prior studies have reported unexpected findings (for example, links between NOWS diagnosis and lower infant mortality), but large population-level follow-up through age five is limited, so this work combines existing approaches in a novel, broader way.
Where this research is happening
Hanover, United States
- Dartmouth College — Hanover, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Leyenaar, Joanna — Dartmouth College
- Study coordinator: Leyenaar, Joanna
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.