Opioid Abuse and Barriers to Treatment with Buprenorphine: An Exploration & Policy Analysis

Introduction: Opioid addiction and abuse continues to reach epidemic status in the United States. Many individuals who desire treatment are unable to do so. Buprenorphine is one method of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) that can be prescribed by any outpatient physician who completes training and obtains a waiver - however, provider uptake of buprenorphine has been low. This paper sought to examine the barriers to provider uptake of buprenorphine, as well as analyze relevant policy to help inform future solutions Methods: A limited systematic review examining provider attitudes and beliefs surrounding buprenorphine, followed by a policy analysis with recommendations for future policy. Results: Search strategy yielded 201 articles, 64 articles screened after duplicate removal, 19 articles assessed for eligibility and 9 articles identified for full review. Key barriers identified included stigma towards addiction population, lack of support & resources, as well as lack of training. The role of Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and other legislation and policies in substance abuse treatment and buprenorphine adoption was discussed. Conclusion: Despite growth in the number of waivered physicians, crucial barriers towards physician adoption of buprenorphine remain. Training early in a clinician’s career, increased financial remuneration for addiction treatment, and other programs to facilitate provider support might be essential towards changing the culture and attitudes of providers towards the addiction population and promoting buprenorphine use.Master of Public Healt