Drs. Jarlenski, Brown-Podgorski, and Krans sought to understand associations between race, receiving urine toxicology testing, and positive test results among pregnant patients. Findings show that Black patients experience increased drug testing practices.
Read more about their findings here: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2803729
Drug overdose is a leading cause of pregnancy-associated mortality in the US. This seminar will address the proximal and systemic contributors to reproductive and pregnancy outcomes, drawing on examples from research using health services research and implementation science methods to study persons who use substances in pregnancy.
Congratulations to Dr. Marian Jarlenski for a successful PCORI grant focused on improving pregnancy-related health outcomes.
Alice Gao, Dr. Liz Krans, and Dr. Marian Jarlenski found that later diagnosis of opioid use disorder (OUD) in pregnancy among non-White/Hispanic women partially explains the disparities in medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) receipt in this population. Universal substance use screening earlier in pregnancy, combined with connecting patients to evidence-based and culturally competent care, is an approach that could close the observed racial-ethnic disparity in MOUD receipt.
![Descriptive survey data from the Pregnancy-Unique Quantification of Emesis (PUQE) tool for the total PUQE score (A) and components of PUQE score (hours of nausea [B], episodes of vomiting [C], and episodes of dry heaves [D]) among those with and without detectable urine 11-nor-9-carboxy-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH). The PUQE score evaluates symptoms over the previous 12 hours. E. Logistic regression model results for the association between THC-COOH and the primary outcome.](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/2023-01/Screenshot%202023-01-06%20at%2011.39.49%20AM.png?itok=sVkAJv2p)
Dr. Jarlenski and her team evaluated whether cannabis use was associated with nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy, and found that higher THC levels were associated with increased odds of moderate-to-severe nausea (20.7% THC detected vs 15.5% in THC not detected).
Findings demonstrate that pregnancy confirmation is more accessible at crisis pregnancy centers (CPC) than at abortion facilities and they are predicted to be exacerbated in the wake of abortion clinic closures following the Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization Supreme Court decision. This highlights the need for improved funding and support for pregnancy confirmation service delivery in medical settings, including abortion facilities.
Drs. Lucas Berenbrok and Marian Jarlenski discuss the need for reduced barriers to contraception and how over the counter and how pharmacist provision of contraception can help increase reproductive health care access across the country.
Findings from Dr. Borrero's and Dr. Jarlenski's recent study show that patients residing in states with Medicaid coverage for abortion had lower odds and rates of:
Read more: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36075060/
Congratulations to Natalie Pino for their Dean’s Summer Research Program (DSRP) abstract being selected to receive an Arthur Mirsky Award for clinical science! We're so incredibly proud of the work that you have done around PrEP (pre exposure prophylaxis) access in Pennsylvania and Georgia alongside Dr. Kislovskiy and Dr. Jarlenski!
Faculty members Sonya Borrero, MD, MS, Suji Uhm, MD, MPH, Marian Jarlenski, PhD, Mehret Birru Talabi, MD, PhD, and Greer Donley, JD will present at Grand Rounds with Pitt School of Medicine and Pitt Public Health on September 6th around Ensuring Patient-Centered Care in a Post-Roe World.
