South Middlesex Times

A recent study conducted by Rutgers Health has found that individuals with a nonfatal opioid overdose who have access to a peer support program while in the emergency department are more likely to initiate treatment and less likely to have repeated overdoses. The study, published in JAMA Network Open, is the largest of its kind to examine outcomes associated with emergency department-based peer support for opioid use disorders.

Nina Cooperman, associate professor of psychiatry at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and an author of the study, highlighted the importance of peer support in recovery, stating, "People who themselves are in recovery can relate to someone who is going through the same experience." Cooperman emphasized that peers play a crucial role in facilitating treatment initiation for patients ready to seek help, while also providing ongoing support for those who may need more time to become motivated for treatment.

The study focused on the Opioid Overdose Recovery Program, a New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services-supported initiative that connects individuals admitted for opioid overdose to peer recovery specialists in emergency departments. These specialists, who have personal experiences with substance use disorders, offer nonclinical assistance, recovery support, and referrals for assessment and treatment.

Examining data from 12,046 adults on Medicaid treated for nonfatal opioid overdose between 2015 and June 2020 at 70 acute care hospitals, researchers compared outcomes between hospitals that offered a peer intervention and those that did not. The findings revealed that patients treated in hospitals affiliated with the peer recovery program were more likely to initiate medication for opioid use disorder treatment within 60 days of discharge and had a decreased probability of repeat overdoses compared to those treated in hospitals without the program.

Lead author Peter Treitler, an assistant professor at Boston University School of Social Work, emphasized the importance of integrating peer support with other hospital-based interventions for maximum effectiveness in reducing repeat overdoses. Treitler stated, "Peer recovery support can help reduce repeat overdoses, but it may be more effective when implemented alongside other hospital-based interventions, like emergency department buprenorphine initiation and naloxone distribution."

The study authors, including researchers from Rutgers and the New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, are continuing their research to evaluate various factors that influence the success of emergency department-based peer recovery support programs.