As the number of Mainers grappling with opioid use disorder has increased during the pandemic, access to treatment has not, especially in rural areas. That's according to a new report from the University of Southern Maine, in partnership with the University of Vermont.
The report surveyed health providers and people who work with rural Mainers with opioid use disorder. And some of the primary barriers to treatment that they witness are logistics, said Dr. Mary Lindsey Smith of the Catherine Cutler Institute at USM.
"Some of the things that are really high on that list are access to transportation, safe and secure housing, and then time," Smith said. "The time commitments that are associated with treatment and staying engaged in treatment."
Providers themselves also reported challenges delivering care because of a shortage of time and staffing. Smith said the report is being used by the state and health organizations to inform efforts to build treatment capacity.
