"WHO ELSE HAS THAT OPPORTUNITY BUT US?": ACUTE HOSPITALIZATION AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO INJECT DRUGS INTO TREATMENT

Hospitalized young people who inject drugs (YPWID) suffer from high hospital readmission rates, recurrent infections, and repeat surgical interventions, all of which contribute to high mortality and long-term disability. As hospitalization presents an opportunity to engage YPWID into treatment, there is an urgent need to identify strategies to engage and retain this vulnerable population into treatment. Our study examines barriers and facilitators to OUD treatment engagement among hospitalized YPWID.