Rural Community Peer Partnerships for Improving Methamphetamine-Associated Heart Failure Screening and Engagement

Methamphetamine use has increased across the US in the midst of the opioid crisis, with rates of methamphetamine use in rural communities exceeding that in urban areas. Nationwide, methamphetamine-related hospitalizations increased 270% between 2007 and 2015, along with associated costs, lengths of stay and mortality. Methamphetamine-associated heart failure (MAHF) hospitalizations increased 12-fold over this time period; it is associated with worse symptoms (e.g. ejection fraction) and decreased adherence to guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) compared to heart failure not associated with methamphetamine use.

Despite the increased risk of heart failure and overdose for people who use methamphetamine in rural areas, interventions to improve engagement in cardiac screening and treatment services are underdeveloped. Multiple barriers decrease access to cardiac care in rural communities, including social determinants of health and health systems care delivery barriers. Stigma and distrust of healthcare providers, particularly in rural communities are known barriers to engaging in medical care-COVID-19 has only worsened this gap for people who use drugs.

Team-based cardiology care interventions can improve outcomes for people with heart failure, including one multi-disciplinary program that focused on methamphetamine-associated heart failure MAHF. However, these interventions have been tested in urban, higher resourced settings than those typical in rural communities. Interventions for screening and linkage to care for people who use drugs in rural areas with MAHF have not been developed.

The "experiential credentialing" afforded by peer recovery support specialists ("peers") offers a unique opportunity to reach, engage, and retain non-treatment-seeking people using drugs. The PEER-Heart study extends the role of peers as trusted community health workers in rural communities to improve MAHF screening and linkage to cardiology care. Increasing evidence reports feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of telehealth interventions in rural communities including cardiology services and retention in substance use treatment. Virtual visits for heart failure demonstrate promise in improving follow-up care though more study is warranted to demonstrate clinical outcomes effectiveness, and ensure these interventions do not worsen existing health inequities and the rural digital divide, particularly in minoritized groups.

The PEER-Heart study aims to demonstrate feasibility of screening of MAHF and linkage to evidence-based cardiology care for people who use methamphetamine in rural areas.