As Applications for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) Treatment Surge, Bicycle Health Makes Population-level Applicant Data Available On New Data Hub
The data hub provides policymakers and advocates with insights into the demographics and history of people seeking treatment to inform the regulatory future of virtual OUD care
BOSTON, Sept. 26, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bicycle Health, the nation’s largest provider of virtual opioid addiction treatment, today published population-level data on over 13,000 people who applied for Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) Treatment in the second quarter of 2023. New data will be published quarterly on demographics, insured status, path to opioid use disorder, and access to the healthcare system. Additional population-level data may be added or requested.
“Opioid use disorder is one of the nation’s most pressing healthcare crises, and – to my knowledge – nobody else is seeing the volume of patients applying for treatment that we see at Bicycle Health, across 32 states,” said Brian Clear, CMO of Bicycle Health. “It is our hope that providing insights into the patients we’re all trying to serve will help inform how regulators and clinicians develop intervention and prevention programs that may reduce the rate of OUD in the country.”
OUD currently impacts between 7 to 9 million Americans – and over 86% are not receiving MOUD treatment, which accelerates the opioid overdose crisis. By publishing population-level data on those seeking treatment directly, online, Bicycle Health hopes to provide insights into the diversity of this population. Population-level applicant data is available online at https://www.bicyclehealth.com/oud-treatment-index
“In most conversations about OUD, the people struggling are the ones whose voices are left out,” said Dr. Scott Weiner, Director of Research at Bicycle Health. “Our goal with the ‘OUD Index’ is to better understand the diverse group impacted by this disease, so we can reduce stigma, educate the public, and change the larger cultural conversation around OUD in our society.”
In the analysis of over 13,000 online applications for treatment, Bicycle Health found:
- Average age of applicants: The average age per applicant was 39.5 years old; the state with the youngest average applicants was Georgia (age 34); the state with the oldest average applicants was Alabama (age 46).
- Age Groups: Overall, 44.2% of applicants were in their 30s; 29.9% of applicants were in their 40s; 11.8% of applicants were in their 20s; 9.2% of applicants were in their 50s; 2.5% of applicants were between the ages of 60 and 64; 2.3% of applicants were age 65, or older.
- Age Group Growth Rate: The most significant increase in application volume came from individuals in their 20s, showing a 106.5% growth year-over-year. The next notable growth was observed among those in their 50s, with a 58.2% rise.
- Uninsured applicants: Overall, 15.9% of applicants reported not having health insurance at the time of their application; states with the lowest percentage of uninsured applicants included Virginia (9.2%); Washington (8.4%); New Mexico (8.2%); Arizona (7.5%); Oregon (6.8%); and Michigan (6.1%). States with the highest percentage of uninsured included Iowa (35.1%); Idaho (31.9%); Montana (30.2%); Florida (29.4%); North Carolina (24.6%); Wyoming (22.2%); North Dakota (22.0%); Texas (21.8%); Connecticut (20.7%); South Dakota (20.0%); and Alabama at (20.0%).
- First exposure to opioids: Overall, 56.1% of applicants reported that their opioid use disorder (OUD) began with a legal prescription for pain (among states with more than 100 applicants to respond to this question). Mississippi had the highest percentage of applicants whose OUD began with a legal prescription 65.1%; Minnesota had the lowest percentage of applicants whose OUD began with a legal prescription 45.4%.
- Applicants without a primary care physician (PCP): Over 94.1% of applicants reported not having a PCP across all age groups.
- Applicants with a diagnosed mental health disorder: Overall, 12.2% of applicants reported having a diagnosed mental health disorder. That includes 12.5% of applicants in their 20s; 11.8% of applicants were in their 30s; 12.7% of applicants were in their 40s; 13.8% of applicants were in their 50s; 11.3% of applicants were between the ages of 60 and 64; 9.0% of applicants were age 65, or older.
Bicycle Health’s virtual, evidence-based treatment model offers patients access to a highly trained team of medical experts, a customized treatment plan, dynamic peer support groups, and MOUD – which are FDA-approved medications that reduce painful withdrawal symptoms, prevent overdose, support long-term recovery, and ultimately save lives. Research has proven that MOUD with buprenorphine is the safest, most effective way to treat addiction. Bicycle Health’s care platform also features an at-home urine drug testing system, Buprenorphine Induction Tool, and Pharmacy Finder Tool, all of which further help prevent buprenorphine diversion while ensuring high-quality, flexible virtual care options and access to medications.
To learn more about Bicycle Health, please visit www.bicyclehealth.com.
| Applications Analyzed 13,375 |
|||||
| Average Age 39.5 |
Percent Uninsured
|
First exposure to opioids
|
% with no primary care physician | % with a prior mental health diagnosis | % Female |
| 39.5 | 15.9% | 56.1% Legal Prescription |
94.1% | 12.3% | 40.5% |
| Percent of Applications by Age Group | ||
| Age Group | Q3 ’22 | Q3 ’23 |
| 20s | 5.8% | 12.2% |
| 30s | 47.1% | 43.8% |
| 40s | 35.3% | 30.6% |
| 50s | 5.8% | 9.2% |
| 60s | 11.8% | 2.6% |
| Seniors | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Data by Age Group | |||||
| Age Cohorts | % of Applicants | % uninsured | % with no PCP | % with prior mental health diagnosis | % Female |
| All | 100.00% | 15.9% | 94.1% | 12.3% | 40.5% |
| 20s | 12.2% | 17.76% | 93.47% | 12.52% | 36.75% |
| 30s | 43.79% | 16.41% | 94.55% | 11.83% | 38.66% |
| 40s | 30.06% | 15.97% | 93.94% | 12.74% | 41.61% |
| 50s | 9.18% | 15.37% | 93.78% | 13.83% | 51.76% |
| 60-64 | 2.55% | 14.65% | 93.20% | 11.33% | 45.45% |
| Seniors | 2.27% | 9.52% | 93.48% | 9.01% | 32.00% |
| State Level Data | ||||||
| State | Average Age | Uninsured | First exposure to opioids was RX |
No PCP | Has Prior MH Diagnosis | % Female |
| All | 39.5 | 15.9% | 56.1% | 94.1% | 12.3% | 40.5% |
| Alabama | 46 | 20.0% | NA* | NA* | 40.0% | NA* |
| Arizona | 39 | 7.5% | 53.6% | 97.2% | 11.5% | 38.3% |
| California | 40 | 19.0% | 54.9% | 92.3% | 8.4% | 33.8% |
| Colorado | 38 | 10.3% | 49.3% | 97.5% | 12.2% | 47.4% |
| Connecticut | 41 | 20.8% | NA* | 97.1% | 5.7% | 12.5% |
| Delaware | 41 | 12.0% | NA* | 97.7% | 12.4% | 44.4% |
| Florida | 41 | 29.4% | 59.0% | 97.4% | 12.0% | 42.4% |
| Idaho | 38 | 31.9% | 61.1% | 75.9% | 22.2% | NA* |
| Illinois | 38 | 17.2% | 57.8% | 89.6% | 8.6% | 30.0% |
| Iowa | 37 | 35.1% | 51.9% | 94.2% | 5.8% | 20.0% |
| Maine | 40 | 10.4% | 47.8% | 91.3% | 14.1% | 40.0% |
| Maryland | 39 | 10.7% | 51.3% | 95.7% | 14.1% | 53.3% |
| Massachusetts | 41 | 15.1% | 51.3% | 96.0% | 11.6% | 22.2% |
| Michigan | 39 | 6.1% | 58.8% | 95.9% | 17.2% | 34.2% |
| Minnesota | 38 | 14.0% | 45.4% | 90.9% | 10.9% | NA* |
| Mississippi | 41 | NA* | 65.1% | 98.0% | 12.4% | 40.0% |
| Montana | 39 | 30.2% | 50.0% | 91.4% | NA* | 66.7% |
| Nebraska | 38 | 17.3% | 44.3% | 91.1% | 13.9% | NA* |
| Nevada | 40 | 18.1% | 62.5% | 98.9% | 9.1% | 88.9% |
| New Mexico | 38 | 8.3% | 49.2% | 88.7% | 16.8% | 50.0% |
| North Carolina | 40 | 24.6% | 58.3% | 97.8% | 11.7% | 38.6% |
| North Dakota | 37 | 22.0% | 41.9% | 82.3% | 14.5% | 50.0% |
| Oregon | 39 | 6.8% | 53.6% | 87.3% | 11.7% | 45.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 40 | 12.7% | 55.7% | 81.3% | 9.6% | 35.7% |
| South Dakota | 39 | 20.0% | 41.7% | 66.7% | 20.8% | NA* |
| Texas | 40 | 21.8% | 58.0% | 92.6% | 13.2% | 47.8% |
| Virginia | 39 | 9.3% | 55.6% | 93.2% | 12.4% | 36.8% |
| Washington | 40 | 8.5% | 52.5% | 93.2% | 12.4% | 39.4% |
| Wisconsin | 40 | 18.3% | 54.4% | 94.5% | 12.3% | 35.7% |
| Wyoming | 39 | 22.2% | 66.7% | 92.0% | 16.0% | 20.0% |
Methodology
The applicant data presented in this report is collected by people who visit Bicycle Health’s website and answer a series of screening questions, anonymously, before moving forward with the application process and providing personally identifiable information. As Bicycle Health’s business expands into new states or as we add new partnerships with insurance companies or health systems, screening questions asked at the state or individual level often evolve or change over time. In some instances applicants discover that Bicycle Health is not a fit for them mid-way through the application process and do not finish the pre-screening process. This occurs most often when applicants discover that Bicycle Health is not in-network with their health insurance company (yet). In instances where Bicycle Health did not have 100 anonymous responses to a specific question in a specific state, Bicycle Health marked a category’s data as Not Available (NA*) in the index tables presented here.
About Bicycle Health
Bicycle Health is the leading telehealth provider of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in the United States, offering an evidence-based clinical care model that includes FDA-approved Medications for Addiction Treatment (MAT), access to a highly-trained team of medical experts, therapy, a customized treatment plan, and peer support groups. Bicycle Health’s mission is to address the country’s most severe public health crisis by providing access to affordable, convenient, and confidential tele-MOUD treatment for individuals in need and helping to reduce stigmas associated with opioid addiction. For more information, visit www.bicyclehealth.com.
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