Mobile low-threshold buprenorphine integrated with infectious disease services

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Addiction Medicine
• Infectious Disease Control

Background:

• The Baltimore City Health Department established the "Healthcare on The Spot" mobile clinic in 2018.
• This initiative provides low-threshold buprenorphine services integrated with comprehensive healthcare for people who use drugs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the clinical service data from the initial 15 months of the "Healthcare on The Spot" mobile clinic.
• To assess patient demographics, services provided, and factors influencing retention in buprenorphine treatment.

Main Methods:

• A cohort analysis of clinical service data from September 2018 to November 2019.
• Descriptive statistics for patient demographics and services, with logistic regression to identify factors associated with three-month retention.

Main Results:

• The mobile clinic served 569 individuals, with 73.8% receiving buprenorphine and over 70% tested for infectious diseases.
• Buprenorphine treatment retention was 56.0% at one month and 26.2% at three months.
• Black patients and those undergoing hepatitis C treatment demonstrated higher retention rates at three months.

Conclusions:

• Integrated, low-threshold, community-based care models are effective for addressing the health impacts of drug use.
• Mobile clinics offering comprehensive services can improve access to essential healthcare for vulnerable populations.