COVID-19: Current and Future Impacts

COVID-19: Current and Future Impacts

Recorded: Thursday, September 29, 2022 - Saturday, October 1, 2022
On-Demand Session

Overview

This 1-hour, 45-minute, on-demand session from the 2022 ASAM State of the Art Course reviews the latest research developments on the current an future impacts of COVID-19 and potential solutions.
The COVID-19 era has given rise to a series of major life stressors, including illness and death caused by a global pandemic, stay-at-home orders, disruptions in employment and income, food and supply shortages, as well as housing instability. As a result of these factors, epidemiological evidence suggests that the pandemic has increased alcohol use, opioid use, and the prevalence of certain psychological disorders. Furthermore, minoritized persons with substance use disorders are a particularly vulnerable population because of their unique social and health care needs, which place them at risk for significant harm from both the pandemic itself and its social and economic consequences. This 1-hour, 45-minute, on-demand session from the 2022 ASAM State of the Art Course explores the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as potential solutions. Following each presentation, presenters answer audience questions.

This session is comprised of 4 presentations that deep dive into different aspects of the overall topic.

• Emerging Trends in Alcohol Misuse and Related Harms During and After the Pandemic
  Epidemiological evidence suggests a mixed picture for alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Overall, there was a trend towards increased alcohol consumption, with some groups, including women, showing greater increases than others.  After increasing around 2.2% per year over the previous two decades, deaths involving alcohol jumped 25.5% between 2019 to 2020.  Mental health factors were the most common correlates or triggers for increased use of alcohol.  There is a need for increased vigilance for alcohol-related problems and there is likely to be an increase in the need for alcohol treatment.  Problematic alcohol use which is not addressed can lead to adverse consequences for individuals and families, and has significant costs for health systems.
• Opioid Use Disorder Treatment without Red Tape? What We Learned During COVID-19
  Access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), including methadone and buprenorphine, are substantially restricted by controlled substance regulations that present a burden to many patients. For example, methadone patients are typically required to travel to opioid treatment programs daily to receive observed doses of medication and buprenorphine patients have not historically been allowed to start medication based on a telephone or video consult. However, many regulations were suspended or modified after the COVID-19 public health emergency. This "natural experiment" has taught the field important lessons about possible new directions for increasing access, such as take home methadone and telehealth for buprenorphine, in a less burdensome manner. This talk will review the evidence in support of the argument for making the COVID-19 regulations permanent.
• Racism, COVID-19, and Racial/Ethnic Behavioral Health Inequities
  Racial and ethnic minorities have shouldered a disproportionate medical, emotional and social burden of the COVID-19 pandemic. This presentation will discuss racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 infection and associated consequences. The presentation will highlight the contribution of structural racism on disparities in social determinants of health that place Black, Latinx and Other People of Color at increased risk for Covid-19 infection, morbidity and mortality. It will also explore the intersectionality of race and substance use disorder on COVID-related outcomes for minoritized populations, especially Black persons in the United States.
• Symptoms of Psychological Distress Among U.S. Adults over the Course of the COVID-19 Pandemic
  This presentation will describe a longitudinal survey of a nationally representative cohort of U.S. adults measuring psychological distress in April 2020, July 2020, November 2020, and July 2021. Study results include measures of psychological distress, using the validated Kessler-6 measure, at each time point, as well as measures of treatment seeking and receipt. Discussion will focus on the trajectory of psychological distress over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic among U.S. adults overall and among specific demographic sub-groups. The presentation will conclude with consideration of the implications of study results for public mental health moving forward.

These sessions are intended for experienced learners and are taught an intermediate or advanced level. The target audience includes:

• Addiction medicine specialists who are interested in the latest research in the field and its translation to clinical practice
• Physicians and other healthcare professionals who treat patients with addiction and seek an advanced level of knowledge
• Scientists, researchers, public health officials and advocates dedicated to the field of addiction medicine

This conference addresses all 6 ACGME Competencies.

Learning Objectives

At the end of the course, learners should be able to:

1. Discuss the important, new, scientific breakthroughs in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of addiction.
2. Critically evaluate new science and describe how it changes the current understanding of addiction and co-occurring medical or psychiatric disorders.
3. Develop practical applications for integrating new and emerging science into practice.
4. Identify gaps in the field of addiction medicine that future research can address.
5. Create a network of colleagues and resources to support the learner's practice or form future research collaborations.

Registration Rates

*Residents, Fellows-in-training, Interns, and Students must join ASAM to receive a discounted registration rate. Click here to become an ASAM member. National and Chapter membership dues apply. There is no charge for Students to become a Member, but verification of student status is required.

Membership Question?  Call ASAM at 1.301.656.3920, email us, or view the ASAM website for more information.

Refunds & Cancellations

All ASAM eLearning Center refund requests must be made in writing to Education@ASAM.org within 90 days of purchase. Those requesting refunds for courses that are in progress will receive partial refunds or eLearning Center credit. Automatic full refunds will be made for any course with a live-course component that has been cancelled.

Registration Deadline: 10/1/2025

Instructions

1. Click on the Contents tab to begin this activity.
2. Click Complete Post Test to answer multiple choice questions. Participants will have 10 attempts to pass and must answer 4 out of 5 questions correctly.
3. Click Complete Evaluation to provide valuable activity feedback. Scroll down on all questions as there may be answer options that expand past the size of the window.
4. Click the button Claim Medical Credits in the box titled Claim Credits & Certificate. Choose the type of credit and click submit. Click the button View/Print Certificate to save or print your certificate. You can view/print your certificate at any time by visiting the ASAM eLearning Center, clicking Dashboard, and clicking Transcript/Achievements.

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CME, CE, CEU and Other Credit Types

ACCME Accreditation Statement
The American Society of Addiction Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA Credit Designation Statement
The American Society of Addiction Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals
This activity has been approved by the American Society of Addiction Medicine, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #295, ASAM is responsible for all aspects of the programming.

California Association for Drug/Alcohol Educators (CAADE)
This educational program is approved by CAADE: #CP40 999 1222

California Association of DUI Treatment Centers (CADTP)
This educational program is approved by CADTP: #205

California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP)
This educational program is approved by CCAPP: #OS-20-330-1222

Continuing Education Credits (CEUs)
Non-physician participants will receive a certificate of attendance upon completion of the activity and an online evaluation confirming their participation. Participants should submit his/her certificate of attendance to their professional organization/institute.

Maintenance of Certification (MOC) / Continuing Certification Program (CCP)

The ASAM State of the Art Course  meets the CME requirements for the following primary boards:
• American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS)
• American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM)
• American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA)
• American Board of Pediatrics (ABP)
• American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM)
• American Board of Surgery (ABS)
• American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN)
• American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM)
• Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC

Disclosure Information

In accordance with disclosure policies of ASAM and the ACCME, the effort is made to ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all CME activities. These policies include mitigating all possible relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies for the Planning Committees and Presenters. All activity Planning Committee member and Presenters have disclosed relevant financial relationship information. The ASAM CME Committee has reviewed these disclosures and determined that the relationships are not inappropriate in the context of their respective presentations and are not inconsistent with the educational goals and integrity of the activity.