Addictive behaviors
-
Addictive behaviors · Jan 2018
Trends in average days' supply of opioid medications in Medicaid and commercial insurance.
To calculate trends in adult average days' supply for six commonly prescribed opioids: hydrocodone, hydromorphone, morphine, oxycodone, oxymorphone, and tapentadol to assess whether physicians changed prescribing practices at the time of the intensifying epidemic. ⋯ Our results find that days' supply of opioids are increasing despite public health campaigns and media attention on the risks of opioid prescribing. More effective interventions to curb opioid prescribing are needed to reverse these trends.
-
Addictive behaviors · Jan 2018
Injection drug use and overdose among young adults who use prescription opioids non-medically.
Non-medical prescription opioid (NMPO) use is a critical public health problem in the United States, with 2.1 million new initiates annually. Young adult NMPO users are at high risk for initiating injection drug use. We assessed correlates of injection drug use among young adult NMPO users in Rhode Island, a state heavily impacted by opioid overdose. ⋯ These findings demonstrate a high prevalence of lifetime injection drug use among young adults who use prescription opioids non-medically. Given the observed associations between injection drug use and witnessing as well as experiencing overdose, interventions are urgently needed to improve overdose education and naloxone distribution to young adult NMPO users who inject drugs.
-
Addictive behaviors · Jan 2018
Associations between statewide prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) requirement and physician patterns of prescribing opioid analgesics for patients with non-cancer chronic pain.
State-level prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) have been implemented in most states. PDMPs enable registered prescribers to obtain real-time information on patients' prescription history to reduce non-medical use of controlled drugs. This study examined whether PDMP implementation and different levels of PDMP requirements were associated with physicians' patterns of prescribing opioid analgesics for patients with non-cancer chronic pain. ⋯ Findings indicated that the effectiveness of PDMPs on physicians' opioid prescribing tendency for non-cancer chronic pain treatment could not be supported. Policy makers should be aware of the need for redesigning PDMPs regarding requirements and enforcement for prescribers and related stakeholders. Future studies also are needed to identify characteristics contributing to PDMP effectiveness in reducing non-medical use of prescription opioids.
-
Addictive behaviors · Jan 2018
Frequency and correlates of sleep disturbance in methadone and buprenorphine-maintained patients.
Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a significant public health problem, and opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) on methadone or buprenorphine is a common approach. This study characterized sleep impairment in patients maintained on methadone or buprenorphine, and evaluated its association with psychiatric and medical comorbidities. ⋯ Results demonstrate substantial and clinically-significant impairments in sleep that are associated with a variety of current problems that could impact OMT outcomes and decrease quality of life. Outcomes support the development of methods to improve sleep in OMT patients, and to examine the degree to which sleep improvements may be associated with improvements in mood and other health-related measures.
-
Addictive behaviors · Jan 2018
Prevalence of population smoking cessation by electronic cigarette use status in a national sample of recent smokers.
Amid decreasing rates of cigarette smoking and a rise in e-cigarette use, there is a need to understand population patterns of use to inform tobacco control efforts and evaluate whether e-cigarettes may play a role in tobacco harm reduction. ⋯ Among those with a recent history of smoking, daily e-cigarette use was the strongest correlate of being quit at the time of the survey, suggesting that some smokers may have quit with frequent e-cigarette use or are using the products regularly to prevent smoking relapse. However, the low prevalence of cessation among infrequent e-cigarette users highlights the need to better understand this subgroup, including the individual factors and/or product characteristics that may inhibit cessation.