Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in Correctional Facilities: A 2022 Cross-Sectional Survey of Health Care Staff

Claire Wolfe
Sabrina Gaiazov
Dr. Pamela Valera, Sacred Heart University
Will Mullen
Ross MacDonald, NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Christian Heidbreder

Abstract

A national, anonymous, online survey was administered inviting 3,161 correctional health professionals to examine the associations between facility characteristics and the availability of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in jails and prisons. Responses from 268 participants representing 212 correctional facilities were analyzed. We used multivariate logistic regression to identify associated facility characteristics, and open-ended responses were analyzed using content analysis. Facilities in the Western United States had higher odds of providing MOUD compared with those in the Midwest (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.67, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.28-10.99). Jails had higher odds of offering MOUD than prisons (AOR = 2.13, OR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.21-0.99). Qualitative analysis revealed key supports for facilitating MOUD implementation and common barriers.