Drug and alcohol dependence
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Drug Alcohol Depend · Jul 2019
Overdose following initiation of naltrexone and buprenorphine medication treatment for opioid use disorder in a United States commercially insured cohort.
Despite the growing opioid overdose crisis, medication treatment for opioid use disorder remains uncommon. The comparative effectiveness of buprenorphine and naltrexone treatment in reducing overdose and the comparative risks of discontinuing treatment in the real world, remain uncertain. Our aim was to examine the effectiveness of medications for opioid use disorder in preventing opioid-related overdose. ⋯ Among commercially-insured patients who initiate medications for opioid use disorder, buprenorphine, but not naltrexone, was associated with lower risk of overdose during active treatment compared to post-discontinuation. More research is needed to understand the benefits and risks unique to each treatment option to better tailor therapies to patients with opioid use disorder.
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Drug Alcohol Depend · Jul 2019
Prevalence and correlates of nonmedical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) among Young adults experiencing homelessness in seven cities across the United States.
Nonmedical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) is an urgent public health concern facing the United States. Young adults experiencing homelessness (YEH) are at increased risk of NMUPD; however, community estimates of NMUPD among YEH are sparse. This current study sought to understand patterns and correlates of NMUPD in a geographically heterogeneous sample of YEH recruited from seven cities across the United States. ⋯ These findings indicate that interventions designed to address NMUPD need to be multifaceted, designed to address other risk behaviors correlated with NMUPD, and target unmet mental health needs.