Editorial highlights ongoing opioid overdose issues in America, indicating gaps in treatment and harm reduction services.
Key Points
About 31% of adolescents with opioid use disorder received treatment in the past year, highlighting severe gaps in care.
Though a reduction in opioid overdose deaths was seen beginning in mid-2023, rates remain alarmingly high, with disparities affecting minority populations.
Geographic disparities significantly contribute to differences in opioid-related mortality, particularly among Black Americans due to exposure to fentanyl.
Fewer than 40% of Medicare beneficiaries with opioid use disorder received care aligned with recognized quality measures in 2020.