Verena Metz, PhD

People

Kaiser Permanente Division of Research
2000 Broadway
Oakland, CA 94612

510-891-3442 (phone)
verena.e.metz@kp.org

Verena Metz, PhD, is a staff scientist with the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, a member of the Drug and Alcohol Research Team (DART). She studied psychology at the University of Vienna, Austria, and completed a doctoral program of Applied Medical Science in Mental Health and Behavioral Medicine at the Medical University of Vienna, where she also trained as a clinical and health psychologist. Her doctoral thesis focused on maternal and neonatal outcome parameters of women receiving opioid maintenance treatment throughout their pregnancy. Her interest in substance use disorders and vulnerable patient populations led her to complete postdoctoral research training in the Division of Substance Use Disorders at Columbia University Medical Center (New York State Psychiatric Institute), where she was mainly involved in medication trials in opioid-using, non-treatment-seeking volunteers, and a harm reduction study focusing on reducing opioid overdose deaths in New York City. In San Francisco, she worked briefly at the Friends Research Institute, implementing a study in a clinic with methadone-treated patients, before completing a 2-year clinical training in community mental health and school settings, to receive her license as a psychologist in California.

Current Position(s):

Staff Scientist, Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California

Section Affiliations:

Behavioral Health and Aging

Primary Research Interests:

Prevention of and early intervention for substance use disorders
Integrated mental health care/comprehensive health care
Gender, cultural background, and other individual and socio-cultural characteristics affecting mental health
Mental Health and substance use disorders in vulnerable patient populations

Studies

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Highlighted Publications

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Publications

Physical, Mental Health and Developmental Conditions, and Sociodemographic Characteristics Associated With Adverse Childhood Experiences Among Young Children in Pediatric Primary Care

Author(s): Sterling S; Iturralde E; Young-Wolff K; Metz VE; Espinas P; et al.

J Pediatr Health Care. 2021 Jul 02.

Current Position(s):

Section Affiliations:

Primary Research Interests:

Studies

Highlighted Publications

Publications

Physical, Mental Health and Developmental Conditions, and Sociodemographic Characteristics Associated With Adverse Childhood Experiences Among Young Children in Pediatric Primary Care

How competent are people who use opioids at responding to overdoses? Qualitative analyses of actions and decisions taken during overdose emergencies.

The PPARγ Agonist Pioglitazone Fails to Alter the Abuse Potential of Heroin, But Does Reduce Heroin Craving and Anxiety.

Characteristics of drug use among pregnant women in the United States: Opioid and non-opioid illegal drug use.

Pioglitazone, a PPARγ agonist, reduces nicotine craving in humans, with marginal effects on abuse potential.

Abuse liability of intravenous buprenorphine vs. buprenorphine/naloxone: Importance of absolute naloxone amount.

Effects of Ibudilast on the Subjective, Reinforcing, and Analgesic Effects of Oxycodone in Recently Detoxified Adults with Opioid Dependence.

No evidence of compensatory drug use risk behavior among heroin users after receiving take-home naloxone.

Racial Differences in HIV and HCV Risk Behaviors, Transmission, and Prevention Knowledge among Non-Treatment-Seeking Individuals with Opioid Use Disorder.

The effects of pioglitazone, a PPARγ receptor agonist, on the abuse liability of oxycodone among nondependent opioid users.

Need and utility of a polyethylene glycol marker to ensure against urine falsification among heroin users.

Abuse potential of intranasal buprenorphine versus buprenorphine/naloxone in buprenorphine-maintained heroin users.

Characteristics and quality of life of opioid-dependent pregnant women in Austria.

Substance abuse/dependence treatment: a European perspective.

Comparison of a drug versus money and drug versus drug self-administration choice procedure with oxycodone and morphine in opioid addicts.

Should pregnant women with substance use disorders be managed differently?

Influence of site differences between urban and rural American and Central European opioid-dependent pregnant women and neonatal outcome characteristics.

Opioid dependent and pregnant: what are the best options for mothers and neonates?

Impact of treatment approach on maternal and neonatal outcome in pregnant opioid-maintained women.

First-trimester fetal heart rate in mothers with opioid addiction.

Association between prenatal tobacco exposure and outcome of neonates born to opioid-maintained mothers. Implications for treatment.