Alberto Ortega, PhD

Alberto Ortega is an assistant professor in the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University. He is an applied microeconomist with primary research interests in race and ethnicity, education, and health policy. Some of his current research evaluates the effect of social policies on substance use disorder treatment.

He earned his PhD and MA in economics from the University of Florida. He also studied economics at the undergraduate level at Florida International University.

Recent publication:

Recreational marijuana laws and mental health treatment
Ortega, A. (2023). The highs and the lows: Recreational marijuana laws and mental health treatment. Health Economics, 32(10), 2173–2191. https://doi.org/10.1002/hec.4726

Recent Work

Racial Disparities in Accessing Treatment for Substance Use Highlights Work to Be Done

Older Americans are increasingly seeking treatment for substance use disorders with older Black Americans who start treatment being much more likely to have their treatment terminated and not finish compared to white adults.

By Jevay Grooms, PhD and Alberto Ortega, PhD
Categorized in
- Evidence Base
Substance Use Disorders Among Older Populations: What Role Do Race and Ethnicity Play in Treatment and Completion?

Researchers provide historical investigation of admissions and discharges for treatment episodes over the past two decades across race, ethnicity, gender, and age.
Categorized in
- Research
- Journal Articles
Flipping the Script: The Effects of Opioid Prescription Monitoring on Specialty-Specific Provider Behavior

Mandatory access Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (MA-PDMPs) aim to curb the epidemic at a common point of initiation of use, the prescription.
Categorized in
- Research
- Journal Articles
Distance Learning and Parental Mental Health During COVID-19

As COVID-19 cases continue to increase across the country, there is a concern about the extent to which this pandemic will affect students.
Categorized in
- Research
- Journal Articles

Alberto Ortega, PhD's Bio

Recent Work

Racial Disparities in Accessing Treatment for Substance Use Highlights Work to Be Done

Substance Use Disorders Among Older Populations: What Role Do Race and Ethnicity Play in Treatment and Completion?

Flipping the Script: The Effects of Opioid Prescription Monitoring on Specialty-Specific Provider Behavior

Distance Learning and Parental Mental Health During COVID-19