The Tennessee Clinical and Translational Science Institute (TN-CTSI) at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) has announced the latest round of grant recipients from its Pilot Translational and Clinical Studies Program.
The pandemic has muted what the public hears about the still-raging opioid crisis, its desperation and deaths hovering like a silent virus. In Shelby County, 416 people died of opioid overdoses in 2020, 73 more than in 2019, itself a record year.
Dr. Karen Derefinko, an assistant professor of preventative medicine at UTHSC, says the pandemic is having an impact on those who struggle with substance abuse.“You’re using more or more often than you used to just to cope with the stress of the pandemic or losing a job or financial strain,” Dr. Derefinko said.
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center was awarded a $201K grant to study methods to reduce stigma among African Americans seeking treatment for opioid use. UTHSC oftentimes sees more white people seeking help, however, substance abuse tends to be the same across different ethnic and racial groups. Dr. Karen Derefinko treats people struggling with… Read More
