Do-Re-Mi –

Feb. 28, 2024 – Americans addicted to opioids who need the anti-addiction med buprenorphine are far more likely to find it if they live in a predominantly white neighborhood. When you move to areas with racial or ethnic diversity, there is a large decline in the availability of buprenorphine prescribers. “Access is substantially better in areas that are very white,” said study lead author Coleman Drake, an assistant professor of health policy and management at Pitt Public Health in Pittsburgh.

“When you move to areas with even some racial or ethnic diversity, there is a large decline in the geographic availability of buprenorphine prescribers and prescription fills,” he noted in a University of Pittsburgh news release. “In areas that are less than 95% white, for example, there’s a 45 to 50% drop [in access].” 

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