Alex Watkins

Updated NC Statewide Overdose Surveillance Reports

by Alex Watkins | Jun 3, 2020 | Content

The Injury and Violence Prevention Branch of the Division of Public Health recently revised the provisional data on opioid-related poisoning deaths (NC OCME), opioid overdose emergency department visits (NC DETECT) and statewide harm reduction data (NCHRC). Since many...

“Prevention of Misuse and Escalation to OUD”

by Alex Watkins | Jun 2, 2020 | Content

The Governor’s Institute’s Board Chair and RTI International prevention scientist Dr. Phillip Graham presented on “Prevention of Misuse and Escalation to OUD: Nida’s HEAL Prevention Initiative” at the Addiction Medicine Conference 2020 held May 1 and 2. Dr. Graham...

Racial and Ethnic Disparities Surrounding Vaping

by Alex Watkins | May 26, 2020 | Content

Dr. Susan McDowell, a family physician at MAHEC, presented on vaping at the virtual Addiction Medicine Conference 2020. We followed up with a participant question about racial and ethnic disparities. Here is her anwer: “Vaping is similar to conventional cigarettes in...

“The Evolving Overdose Epidemic in the U.S. and the Public Health Response”

by Alex Watkins | May 18, 2020 | Content

On May 1, Dr. Christopher Jones of the CDC presented the opening plenary at the Governor’s Institute’s Addiction Medicine 2020 conference on “The Evolving Overdose Epidemic in the U.S. and the Public Health Response.” We followed up with Dr. Jones to get...

Guidance for Writing Case Reports in Addiction Medicine

by Alex Watkins | May 12, 2020 | Content

Systematic studies and meta-analyses are of the highest value for evidence on prognosis, efficacy, effectiveness, and risk. But they often do not reflect the complexity of individual patient experiences or cases in their contexts. Case reports can provide valuable...