| Project Name: Evaluating the Impact of Changes in Opioid Prescribing across Health Systems Implementing Zero Suicide |
| Principal Investigator: Brian Ahmedani PhD (Contact PI) |
| Principal Investigator Contact Information: BAHMEDA1@hfhs.org |
| Principal Investigator Institution: Henry Ford Health System |
| Funder: NIMH |
| Funding Period: 09/08/2018 – 09/07/2019 |
| Abstract: Suicide is a major public health concern – it is the 10th leading cause of death and number one cause of injury-related death in the United States (US). Suicide rates have risen over 25% in the last 15 years. In parallel, the nation is struggling with an opioid epidemic. Opioid prescribing, heroin use, and opioid-related overdose deaths have risen substantially. Approximately 15% of all suicide deaths are due to drug overdose, and prescription opioids specifically, are commonly used among people who attempt suicide. Health systems across the country have made decisions to tackle both of these public health crises – implementing policies to dramatically reduce opioid prescribing as well as clinical processes within the Zero Suicide model to improve suicide prevention for their patients. The parent award for this supplement is focused on evaluation of Zero Suicide implementation, including fidelity to each of these clinical processes and suicide outcomes, across 6 large, diverse Mental Health Research Network-affiliated Learning Healthcare Systems providing healthcare for over 9 million individuals each year. Given the overlap, significant reductions in opioid prescribing as part of newly implemented policies should lead to a reduction in the availability of opioids. These reductions may result in a public-health level means reduction approach to reduce suicide. Means reduction is among the interventions recommended within Zero Suicide. The concurrent implementation of these new opioid prescribing policies in the context of implementation of Zero Suicide allows the opportunity to evaluate how changes in opioid prescribing impacts suicide outcomes in health care. This supplement project seeks to accomplish three specific aims: 1) Evaluate changes in opioid prescribing patterns during the period of NZSM implementation across health systems, 2) Investigate whether changes in opioid prescribing patterns reduce suicide attempt and mortality, and 3) Investigate whether changes in opioid prescribing patterns reduce opioid-related suicide attempt and mortality poisonings. Overall, we propose to use an Interrupted Time Series Design, consistent with the parent award, to measure changes in prescribing patterns and suicide outcomes. |
| Grant Number: U01MH114087-02S2 |
| Participating Sites: Henry Ford Health System Kaiser Permanente Washington Kaiser Permanente Colorado Kaiser Permanente Northern California Kaiser Permanente Northwest Kaiser Permanente Southern California |
| Investigators: Gregory Simon, MD, MPH (co-PI) BobbiJo Yarborough, PsyD Stacy Sterling, DrPH Karen Coleman, PhD Arne Beck, PhD |
| Major Goals: Evaluate changes in opioid prescribing patterns during the period of NZSM implementation across health systems. Investigate whether changes in opioid prescribing patterns reduce suicide attempt and mortality. Investigate whether changes in opioid prescribing patterns reduce opioid-related suicide attempt and mortality poisonings. |
| Description of study sample: N/A |
| Current Status: 06/26/2019 – We have finalized the study protocol and methods, including finalizing the data metrics. We have drafted the specifications for the program to extract the electronic health record data from the participating sites. |
| Study Registration: N/A |
| Publications: N/A |
| Resources: N/A |
| Lessons Learned: N/A |
| What’s next? We will finalize the program specifications, write/test/distribute the program, and collect the final data for analyses |
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