How economic and policy changes affect opioid use disorder
Economic Conditions, Policy Environments, and Opioid Use Disorder
This project looks at how job loss, business and school closures, and pandemic-era policies changed opioid use, overdoses, and access to treatment for people with or at risk of opioid use disorder.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11094715 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, the researchers use a large set of insurance claims and electronic health records covering about half of the U.S. from 2018 through 2025 to track opioid use, overdoses, and treatments such as buprenorphine. They link those health records to local economic and policy changes — like unemployment, stimulus payments, expanded Medicaid coverage, eviction moratoria, and school or business closures — to see how those shifts coincided with opioid-related outcomes. The team compares different communities and age groups, including children, adolescents, and adults, to identify who was helped or harmed by these changes. Results aim to point to policies that improved or reduced access to medication for opioid use disorder so future decisions can better protect people.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: The research uses records from people with opioid use, overdose events, or opioid treatment in claims and EHR data between 2018 and 2025, including adolescents and adults.
Not a fit: People who do not appear in the examined claims or EHR databases, those outside the covered regions, or those seeking immediate clinical care will not directly benefit from this analysis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could guide policy and health-system changes that reduce overdoses and improve access to lifesaving treatments like buprenorphine.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have linked economic hardship to increases in opioid use and overdoses, but this linked national claims and EHR approach is a larger and more comprehensive effort.
Where this research is happening
Rochester, United States
- University of Rochester — Rochester, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hill, Elaine L — University of Rochester
- Study coordinator: Hill, Elaine L
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.