Speaker Bio
Dr. Amanda Elmore is a Maternal and Child Health Assistant Professor at the University of South Florida College of Public Health. After completing her Bachelor’s in Clinical Laboratory Sciences from the University of Kentucky, Dr. Elmore earned her Masters of Public Health from Florida State University and her PhD in Epidemiology from the University of South Carolina as a NIH T32 Predoctoral Fellow. Dr. Elmore has over 5 years of experience in the public sector of maternal and child health and serves on the Board of the National Birth Defects Prevention Network. Her research focuses on reproductive, perinatal, and pediatric epidemiology with a focus on maternal substance use, prenatal substance exposure, and long-term health outcomes for affected mother-infant dyads. She strives to improve health outcomes for families affected by substance use through translational, evidence-based, and stigma-informed approaches to surveillance, prevention, and treatment.
ICPR 2024 Abstract
Lifetime psilocybin use and opioid use disorder among women of reproductive age: Findings from the United States National Survey of Drug use and Health
Theoretical Background and Rationale: Opioid use disorder (OUD) is associated with adverse reproductive health outcomes,but remains prevalent among women of reproductive age. Observational studies have found a lower risk of OUD among people with psilocybin use. Clinical research suggests that psilocybin may be an effective treatment for substance use disorder, but this association has not been examined among our population for OUD.
Research Question and Hypothesis: We aimed to examine the association of psilocybin use and OUD among women of reproductive age. We hypothesized that lifetime psilocybin use may reduce the odds of past-year OUD.
Methods and Analysis: We analyzed the 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health using a representative sample of women ages 18-44 from the United States. Psilocybin use was identified using the question, “Have you ever, used psilocybin, found in mushrooms?” Respondent’s OUD was identified by reported dependence or abuse of heroin or pain relievers in the past year. Multivariate survey logistic regression was used to analyze the association.
Main Findings: Among the total sample (N=80,152), 1% reported OUD and 8% reported lifetime psilocybin use. Over 33% of women with past-year OUD reported psilocybin use, compared to only 7.7% of those without OUD (p<0.01). Women with psilocybin use had a 330% (aOR: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.8, 2.8) higher odds of past year OUD.
Conclusion: Psilocybin was associated with an increased likelihood of past-year OUD among women of reproductive age. This finding is inconsistent with previous research. Our study highlights the importance of women-centered psychedelic research.