Health Care Access Results

Long-term opioid prescribing fell, but millions still receive extended opioid therapy, study finds

In 2023, about 4.2 million U.S. patients had an active long-term opioid therapy episode, according to a JAMA research letter led by University of Michigan researchers.

Long-term opioid prescribing has declined over the past decade, but co-prescribing patterns have shifted and the patient population has aged — raising new questions about chronic pain management in the U.S.

Maternal mortality's narrowing racial gap masks a deepening crisis for less-educated women

The racial gap in maternal mortality is narrowing — but not because outcomes are improving. Climbing death rates among less-educated white women, combined with a persistent crisis for Black mothers at all education levels, reveal a deepening public health emergency, according to new University of Michigan research.

On the Heights: February 2026

February highlights include faculty expertise on AI-driven cancer research, youth violence prevention, farmworker housing policy, epigenetics and ultra-processed foods, and a new state advisory appointment.

High nursing school debt, proposed education loan caps threaten US health care access

Nearly a third of registered nurses and advanced practice nurses in Michigan carry sizable student loan debt that is influencing their decision to leave the profession, according to a new study from the University of Michigan.

As Medicaid work requirements loom, study finds links between coverage, better health & higher employment

Biggest job gains seen among low-income adults with serious health problems whose health improved over time

On the Heights: October 2025

Faculty research shapes policy debates on mass deportation, SNAP benefits, and health communication while centers expand lifecourse research focus and new technology advances lab safety training.