Description of Research Expertise

Dr. Harris's research aims to reduce drug use harms and improve patient outcomes through two complementary lines of inquiry. She analyzes national drug use, morbidity, and mortality trends in relation to drug policies and public health. Additionally, she studies innovative addiction treatment models to enhance care quality and accessibility, especially for vulnerable populations. By integrating population-level analysis with practical treatment solutions, her work strives to bridge the gap between macro-policy and micro-implementation. Dr. Harris is committed to translating research insights into actionable strategies for care teams, policymakers, and public health officials, with the goal of creating a more effective and compassionate system for preventing and treating drug use disorders.

Selected Publications

Harris RA, Long JA, Bao Y, Mandell DS: Racial, Ethnic, and Sex Differences in Methadone-Involved Overdose Deaths Before and After the US Federal Policy Change Expanding Take-home Methadone Doses JAMA Health Forum 4 (6): 2023.

Harris RA, Mandell DS: Fatal drug overdose among middle-aged Black men: A life table analysis. Addictive Behaviors 144 : 2023.

Harris RA: Drug overdose deaths among non-Hispanic Black men in the US: Age-specific projections through 2025 AJPM Focus 2 (1): 2023.

Harris RA, Mandell DS: Years of Life Lost to Drug Overdose Among Black Female Individuals in the US, 2015-2021 JAMA Psychiatry 80 (3): 2022.

Harris RA: Sex and drug overdose mortality trends, 1999-2020 JAMA Psychiatry 79 (8): 833-834,2022.

Harris RA: Race, overdose deaths, and years of lost life JAMA Pediatrics 176 (7): 729,2022.

Harris RA, Aronowitz S, French R, Mandell DS.: It’s time for Pa. to stop allowing overdose deaths to be treated like homicides. The Philadelphia Inquirer : 2021.

Harris RA, Mandell DS, Kampman KM, Bao Y, Campbell K, Cidav Z, Coviello DM, French R, Livesey C, Lowenstein M, Lynch KG, McKay JR, Oslin DW, Wolk CB, Bogner HR: Collaborative care in the treatment of opioid use disorder and mental health conditions in primary care: A clinical study protocol Contemporary Clinical Trials 103 (106325): 2021.

Harris RA, Kanzler HR, Chang K-M, Doubeni CA, Gross R.: Long-term use of hydrocodone vs. oxycodone in primary care Drug and Alcohol Dependence 205 : 2019.

Harris RA: Prescription opioid type and the likelihood of prolonged opioid use after orthopaedic surgery Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 27 (9): 423-429,2019.

Harris RA, Haberer JE, Musinguzi N, Chang KM, Schechter CB, Doubeni CA, Gross R: Predicting short-term interruptions of antiretroviral therapy from summary adherence data: Development and test of a probability model PLoS ONE 13(3): e0194713 : 2018.

Harris RA, Xue X, Selwyn PA.: Housing stability and medication adherence among HIV-positive individuals in antiretroviral therapy: A meta-analysis of observational studies in the U.S. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes 74 (3): 309-317,2017.

Academic Contact Information

Penn Family Care
3737 Market Street, 9th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Patient appointments: 800-789-7366