In the midst of a fatal drug epidemic and shifting drug policy in the United States, there is continued interest in the relationship between illicit drug use and negative health outcomes. Substance use is a tricky exposure to measure, and often studies focus on subpopulations of interest. Recently I collaborated with colleagues Robin Nance and Chris Delaney on a study finding that reduction in frequency of illicit opioid and methamphetamine use is associated with viral suppression among people living with HIV. Read more at the UW CHOICE Blog.
Author: laurenstrand_upfbfl
Ecological studies of marijuana
Recently there has a been a lot of hype about the potential for marijuana legalization to control the opioid epidemic. Press examples are here and here.
A number of ecological studies have been published on the topic, and findings from these investigations are more and more being commented on by the media or used in advertising:
Image available via http://www.wltx.com/article/news/local/verify/verify-do-states-that-legalize-marijuana-have-25-fewer-opioid-deaths/482535530
In my post on the University of Washington CHOICE Blog, I describe some of the problems with ecological study designs.
Propensity scores are so hot right now…
…They have been for a while. Here are some reminders about the use of propensity scores in my brief methods article in ISPOR’s Value and Outcomes Spotlight. Thanks to coauthors Blythe, Anirban, and Chris!