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Bahji A, Bastien G, Bach P, Choi J, Le Foll B, Lim R, Jutras-Aswad D, Socias ME. The Association Between Self-Reported Anxiety and Retention in Opioid Agonist Therapy: Findings From a Canadian Pragmatic Trial. Can J Psychiatry 2024; 69:172-182. [PMID: 37697811 PMCID: PMC10874605 DOI: 10.1177/07067437231194385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prescription-type opioid use disorder (POUD) is often accompanied by comorbid anxiety, yet the impact of anxiety on retention in opioid agonist therapy (OAT) is unclear. Therefore, this study investigated whether baseline anxiety severity affects retention in OAT and whether this effect differs by OAT type (methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) vs. buprenorphine/naloxone (BNX)). METHODS This secondary analysis used data from a pan-Canadian randomized trial comparing flexible take-home dosing BNX and standard supervised MMT for 24 weeks. The study included 268 adults with POUD. Baseline anxiety was assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), with BAI ≥ 16 indicating moderate-to-severe anxiety. The primary outcomes were retention in assigned and any OAT at week 24. In addition, the impact of anxiety severity on retention was examined, and assigned OAT was considered an effect modifier. RESULTS Of the participants, 176 (65%) reported moderate-to-severe baseline anxiety. In adjusted analyses, there was no significant difference in retention between those with BAI ≥ 16 and those with BAI < 16 assigned (29% vs. 28%; odds ratio (OR) = 2.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.94-4.40; P = 0.07) or any OAT (35% vs. 34%; OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 0.77-3.21; P = 0.21). In addition, there was no significant effect modification by OAT type for retention in assigned (P = 0.41) or any OAT (P = 0.71). In adjusted analyses, greater retention in treatment was associated with BNX (vs. MMT), male gender identity (vs. female, transgender, or other), enrolment in the Quebec study site (vs. other sites), and absence of a positive urine drug screen for stimulants at baseline. CONCLUSIONS Baseline anxiety severity did not significantly impact retention in OAT for adults with POUD, and there was no significant effect modification by OAT type. However, the overall retention rates were low, highlighting the need to develop new strategies to minimize the risk of attrition from treatment. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION This study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03033732).
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Affiliation(s)
- Anees Bahji
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Gabriel Bastien
- Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Paxton Bach
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - JinCheol Choi
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Bernard Le Foll
- Translational Addiction Research Laboratory, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Center for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Sciences Building, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ron Lim
- Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Didier Jutras-Aswad
- Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Research Centre, Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - M. Eugenia Socias
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Gazzola MG, Maclean E, Beitel M, Carmichael ID, Cammack KM, Eggert KF, Roehrich T, Madden LM, Jegede O, Zheng X, Bergman E, Barry DT. What's in a Name? Terminology Preferences Among Patients Receiving Methadone Treatment. J Gen Intern Med 2023; 38:653-660. [PMID: 36163526 PMCID: PMC9971370 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-022-07813-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite recognition of the importance of substance use disorder (SUD) terminology, few studies examine terminology preferences among patients with SUDs. OBJECTIVE To examine preferences of patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) concerning the terminology used by addiction counselors. DESIGN From January 1, 2019, to February 28, 2020, participants were recruited consecutively from 30-day treatment review sessions at outpatient methadone treatment programs in the Northeastern United States to complete a cross-sectional survey. PARTICIPANTS Participants were English-speaking adult patients with OUD enrolled in methadone treatment. MAIN MEASURES Participants completed 7-point Likert-type scales from 1 ("Strongly Disagree") to 7 ("Strongly Agree") to rate their preferences for (a) the presenting problem, (b) collective nouns referring to those with the presenting problem, and (c) personal descriptors. We used univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to examine the associations between demographics (i.e., age, sex, and race) and terminology preferences and ordinal logit regression to explore the association between 12-step program partiality and preference for the term "addict." KEY RESULTS We surveyed 450 patients with mean age of 38.5 (SD = 11.1) years; 59.6% self-identified as male, 77.6% as White, and 12.7% as Hispanic. The highest-rated preferences for presenting problem were "addiction," "substance use," and "substance abuse." The highest-rated collective noun terms were "client," "patient," and "guest." "Person with an addiction," "person with substance use disorder," and "substance-dependent person" were the highest-rated personal descriptors. There were significant differences in terminological preference based on race and age. Twelve-step program partiality was associated with greater preference for the term "addict" (F = 21.22, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS Terminology preferences among people receiving methadone treatment aligned with existing guidelines recommending that clinicians use medically accurate and destigmatizing terminology when referring to substance use disorders and the persons who have them. Demographic differences emerged in terminological preferences, warranting further examination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Gaeta Gazzola
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- APT Pain Treatment Services, The APT Foundation, Inc., Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Emma Maclean
- APT Pain Treatment Services, The APT Foundation, Inc., Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, USA
| | - Mark Beitel
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- APT Pain Treatment Services, The APT Foundation, Inc., Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Iain D Carmichael
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Kathryn F Eggert
- APT Pain Treatment Services, The APT Foundation, Inc., Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Teresa Roehrich
- APT Pain Treatment Services, The APT Foundation, Inc., Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lynn M Madden
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- APT Pain Treatment Services, The APT Foundation, Inc., Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Oluwole Jegede
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- APT Pain Treatment Services, The APT Foundation, Inc., Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Xiaoying Zheng
- APT Pain Treatment Services, The APT Foundation, Inc., Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Emma Bergman
- APT Pain Treatment Services, The APT Foundation, Inc., Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Quinnipiac School of Medicine, Hamden, CT, USA
| | - Declan T Barry
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- APT Pain Treatment Services, The APT Foundation, Inc., Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
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Song MJ, Westenberg JN, Kianpoor K, Nikoo M, Kazemi A, Schuetz C, Jang K, Gholami A, Akhondzadeh S, Krausz M. Substance of choice, impact of heroin or opium on treatment retention in a multicentre randomised controlled trial in Iran. Drug Alcohol Rev 2022; 41:895-901. [PMID: 35170124 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In the Middle East and Asia, illicit opioid use exists across a spectrum between heroin and opium. The impact of primary opioid of choice on opioid agonist treatment retention has not been well evaluated previously, especially for opium tincture, an increasingly popular form of opioid agonist treatment in Iran. This study investigates the relationship between primary opioid of choice, namely heroin or opium, and retention in opium tincture and methadone treatment. METHODS Participants with opioid use disorder (n = 204) were randomised to receive opium tincture or methadone. All participants were categorised as mainly using opium or heroin. Bivariate analyses between treatment retention and primary opioid of choice (P < 0.05) and logistic regression were conducted. RESULTS Among the 191 participants included in this analysis, heroin was the primary substance of choice for 135 participants (70.7%) and opium for 56 (29.3%). Bivariate analysis showed that the opium group was more likely to be satisfied with family situation, employed and retained in treatment than the heroin group while less likely to experience incarceration and use multiple substances. When adjusting for covariates, primary opioid of choice was not significantly associated with retention in either methadone or opium tincture treatment arm. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Positive factors, such as employment, housing and family support, seem to collectively explain the higher retention in treatment among those who primarily use opium compared to those who use heroin. To optimise retention in opioid agonist treatment, biopsychosocial care models should be further evaluated to improve psychosocial functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Jae Song
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | | | - Kiana Kianpoor
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Mohammadali Nikoo
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Alireza Kazemi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Christian Schuetz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Kerry Jang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Ali Gholami
- Kian Methadone Maintenance Treatment Clinic, Private Practice and Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Shahin Akhondzadeh
- Psychiatric Research Center, Roozbeh Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Michael Krausz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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Brothers TD, Fraser J, MacAdam E, Morgan B, Webster D. Uptake of slow-release oral morphine as opioid agonist treatment among hospitalised patients with opioid use disorder. Drug Alcohol Rev 2022; 41:430-434. [PMID: 34347327 PMCID: PMC8814044 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Buprenorphine and methadone are highly effective first-line medications for opioid agonist treatment (OAT) but are not acceptable to all patients. We aimed to assess the uptake of slow-release oral morphine (SROM) as second-line OAT among medically ill, hospitalised patients with opioid use disorder who declined buprenorphine and methadone. METHODS This study included consecutive hospitalised patients with untreated moderate-to-severe opioid use disorder referred to an inpatient addiction medicine consultation service, between June 2018 and September 2019, in Nova Scotia, Canada. We assessed the proportion of patients initiating first-line OAT (buprenorphine or methadone) in-hospital, and the proportion initiating SROM after declining first-line OAT. We compared rates of outpatient OAT continuation (i.e., filling outpatient OAT prescription or attending first outpatient OAT clinic visit) by medication type, and compared OAT selection between patients with and without chronic pain, using χ2 tests. RESULTS Thirty-four patients were offered OAT initiation in-hospital; six patients (18%) also had chronic pain. Twenty-one patients (62%) initiated first-line OAT with buprenorphine or methadone. Of the 13 patients who declined first-line OAT, seven (54%) initiated second-line OAT with SROM in-hospital. Rates of outpatient OAT continuation after hospital discharge were high (>80%) and did not differ between medications (P = 0.4). Patients with co-existing chronic pain were more likely to choose SROM over buprenorphine or methadone (P = 0.005). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS The ability to offer SROM (in addition to buprenorphine or methadone) increased rates of OAT initiation among hospitalised patients. Increasing access to SROM would help narrow the opioid use disorder treatment gap of unmet need.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D Brothers
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.,UCL Collaborative Centre for Inclusion Health, Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK
| | - John Fraser
- Mobile Outreach Street Health, North End Community Health Centre, Halifax, Canada.,Department of Anesthesia, Pain Management and Perioperative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - Emily MacAdam
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - Brendan Morgan
- Department of Anesthesia, Pain Management and Perioperative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - Duncan Webster
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Saint John Regional Hospital, Saint John, Canada
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Since 1999, the rate of fatal prescription opioid overdoses and of suicides has dramatically increased in the USA. These increases, which have occurred among similar demographic groups, have led to the hypothesis that the opioid epidemic contributed to increases in suicidal behavior, though the underlying association remains poorly defined. We examine the association between nonmedical use of prescription opioids/opioid use disorder and suicidal ideation/attempts. METHODS We used longitudinal data from a national representative sample of the US adult population, the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Participants (n = 34 653) were interviewed in 2001-2002 (wave 1) and re-interviewed approximately 3 years later (wave 2). A propensity score analysis estimated the association between exposure to prescription opioids at wave 1 and prevalent/incident suicidal behavior at wave 2. RESULTS Heavy/frequent (⩾2-3 times a month) prescription opioid use was associated with prevalent suicide attempts [adjusted risk ratio (ARR) = 2.75, 95% CI 1.35-5.60]. Prescription opioid use disorder was associated with prevalent (ARR = 1.98, 95% CI 1.20-3.28) and incident suicidal ideation (ARR = 2.59, 95% CI 1.25-5.37), and prevalent attempts (ARR = 4.19, 95% CI 1.71-10.27). None of the exposures was associated with incident suicide attempts. CONCLUSIONS Heavy/frequent opioid use and related disorder were associated with prevalent suicide attempts; opioid use disorder was also associated with the incident and prevalent suicidal ideation. Given population increases in nonmedical use of prescription opioids and disorder, the opioid crisis may have contributed to population increases in suicidal ideation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Silvia S. Martins
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Magdalena Cerdá
- Center for Opioid Epidemiology and Policy, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU, New York, NY
| | - Mark Olfson
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Katherine M. Keyes
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, USA
- Society and Health Research Center, Facultad de Humanidades, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
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Alrawashdeh M, Klompas M, Kimmel S, Larochelle MR, Gokhale RH, Dantes RB, Hoots B, Hatfield KM, Reddy SC, Fiore AE, Septimus EJ, Kadri SS, Poland R, Sands K, Rhee C. Epidemiology, Outcomes, and Trends of Patients With Sepsis and Opioid-Related Hospitalizations in U.S. Hospitals. Crit Care Med 2021; 49:2102-2111. [PMID: 34314131 PMCID: PMC8602712 DOI: 10.1097/ccm.0000000000005141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Widespread use and misuse of prescription and illicit opioids have exposed millions to health risks including serious infectious complications. Little is known, however, about the association between opioid use and sepsis. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SETTING About 373 U.S. hospitals. PATIENTS Adults hospitalized between January 2009 and September 2015. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Sepsis was identified by clinical indicators of concurrent infection and organ dysfunction. Opioid-related hospitalizations were identified by the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification codes and/or inpatient orders for buprenorphine. Clinical characteristics and outcomes were compared by sepsis and opioid-related hospitalization status. The association between opioid-related hospitalization and all-cause, in-hospital mortality in patients with sepsis was assessed using mixed-effects logistic models to adjust for baseline characteristics and severity of illness.The cohort included 6,715,286 hospitalizations; 375,479 (5.6%) had sepsis, 130,399 (1.9%) had opioid-related hospitalizations, and 8,764 (0.1%) had both. Compared with sepsis patients without opioid-related hospitalizations (n = 366,715), sepsis patients with opioid-related hospitalizations (n = 8,764) were younger (mean 52.3 vs 66.9 yr) and healthier (mean Elixhauser score 5.4 vs 10.5), had more bloodstream infections from Gram-positive and fungal pathogens (68.9% vs 47.0% and 10.6% vs 6.4%, respectively), and had lower in-hospital mortality rates (10.6% vs 16.2%; adjusted odds ratio, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.60-0.79; p < 0.001 for all comparisons). Of 1,803 patients with opioid-related hospitalizations who died in-hospital, 928 (51.5%) had sepsis. Opioid-related hospitalizations accounted for 1.5% of all sepsis-associated deaths, including 5.7% of sepsis deaths among patients less than 50 years old. From 2009 to 2015, the proportion of sepsis hospitalizations that were opioid-related increased by 77% (95% CI, 40.7-123.5%). CONCLUSIONS Sepsis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with opioid-related hospitalizations, and opioid-related hospitalizations contribute disproportionately to sepsis-associated deaths among younger patients. In addition to ongoing efforts to combat the opioid crisis, public health agencies should focus on raising awareness about sepsis among patients who use opioids and their providers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Alrawashdeh
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School & Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA
- Jordan University of Science and Technology, Jordan
| | - Michael Klompas
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School & Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Simeon Kimmel
- Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
| | - Marc R Larochelle
- Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA
| | - Runa H. Gokhale
- Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
| | - Raymund B Dantes
- Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Brooke Hoots
- Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
- Division of Overdose Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
| | - Kelly M Hatfield
- Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
| | - Sujan C Reddy
- Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
| | - Anthony E. Fiore
- Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
| | - Edward J Septimus
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School & Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA
- Texas A&M College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Sameer S Kadri
- Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Russell Poland
- Clinical Operations Group, HCA Healthcare, Nashville, TN
| | - Kenneth Sands
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School & Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA
- Clinical Operations Group, HCA Healthcare, Nashville, TN
| | - Chanu Rhee
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School & Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
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Nguyen JP, Harding AM, Greene SL. Estimating the proportion of patients who transition to long-term opioid use following oxycodone initiation in the emergency department. Emerg Med Australas 2021; 33:442-446. [PMID: 33000535 DOI: 10.1111/1742-6723.13644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To report the number of patients discharged from ED with oxycodone immediate release (IR) over 12 months and estimate the proportion who potentially transition to long-term opioid use and subsequent injectable heroin use. METHODS Retrospective observational data were collected from a major tertiary-referral metropolitan ED in Melbourne, Australia, describing the number of patients discharged with an oxycodone IR prescription and proportion of discharge scripts filled. These data were projected against published data reporting trends on patients' trajectory to long-term opioid use, to subsequently estimate the proportion of patients from this cohort that may transition to injectable heroin use. RESULTS Of the 87 551 ED presentations in 2018, there were 4843 prescriptions written for oxycodone IR for 4102 different patients. An estimated 279 patients may become long-term opioid users following initial ED presentation. Of these 279 patients, 1.4 patients may potentially transition to injectable heroin use. CONCLUSION Modelling opioid use behaviour in an ED population demonstrated the potential development of unintentional long-term opioid use, and associated harms. Prospective study is required to fully understand trajectories of patients dispensed outpatient therapy from Australian EDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennie P Nguyen
- Pharmacy Department, Austin Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andrew M Harding
- Pharmacy Department, Austin Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Emergency Department, Austin Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Shaun L Greene
- Emergency Department, Austin Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Victorian Poisons Information Centre and Austin Toxicology Service, Austin Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Pan K, Collins A. Exploratory descriptive analysis of opioid prescribing prevalence of nurse practitioners and the specialties associated with the top prescribers. Int J Nurs Pract 2020; 26:e12850. [PMID: 32368834 DOI: 10.1111/ijn.12850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Revised: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Opioid prescription drug abuse is increasingly becoming a concern beyond the United States. Little is known regarding nurse practitioners' opioid prescribing patterns or settings. AIM To examine nurse practitioners' opioid prescription patterns. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study of the 2016 Medicare Part D Prescriber Public Use File and analysed the association between the number of nurse practitioners and the number of opioid prescriptions. We conducted Web searches on the top 1% of prescribers to obtain the specialty areas in which nurse practitioners worked. RESULTS There was no significant correlation between the prevalence of nurse practitioners and the opioid prescription rates among the states in the United States. Most nurse practitioners do not prescribe opioids. Opioid prescription is highly concentrated among nurse practitioners, as 1% of nurse practitioners account for one third of opioids prescribed by nurse practitioners. Most of the top 1% opioid prescribers practice in specialty care with board-certified pain medicine physicians. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of nurse practitioners is not likely a significant contributing factor to the opioid epidemic. Rather than increased scrutiny of opioid prescribing, a better approach to curb the opioid crisis might be to facilitate collaboration among physicians, nurse practitioners and patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Pan
- Department of Economics, Finance, and Quantitative Analysis, Brock School of Business Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Andrea Collins
- Ida Moffett School of Nursing, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
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Averitt AJ, Slovis BH, Tariq AA, Vawdrey DK, Perotte AJ. Characterizing non-heroin opioid overdoses using electronic health records. JAMIA Open 2020; 3:77-86. [PMID: 32607490 PMCID: PMC7309230 DOI: 10.1093/jamiaopen/ooz063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Revised: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The opioid epidemic is a modern public health emergency. Common interventions to alleviate the opioid epidemic aim to discourage excessive prescription of opioids. However, these methods often take place over large municipal areas (state-level) and may fail to address the diversity that exists within each opioid case (individual-level). An intervention to combat the opioid epidemic that takes place at the individual-level would be preferable. METHODS This research leverages computational tools and methods to characterize the opioid epidemic at the individual-level using the electronic health record data from a large, academic medical center. To better understand the characteristics of patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) we leveraged a self-controlled analysis to compare the healthcare encounters before and after an individual's first overdose event recorded within the data. We further contrast these patients with matched, non-OUD controls to demonstrate the unique qualities of the OUD cohort. RESULTS Our research confirms that the rate of opioid overdoses in our hospital significantly increased between 2006 and 2015 (P < 0.001), at an average rate of 9% per year. We further found that the period just prior to the first overdose is marked by conditions of pain or malignancy, which may suggest that overdose stems from pharmaceutical opioids prescribed for these conditions. CONCLUSIONS Informatics-based methodologies, like those presented here, may play a role in better understanding those individuals who suffer from opioid dependency and overdose, and may lead to future research and interventions that could successfully prevent morbidity and mortality associated with this epidemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia J Averitt
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Benjamin H Slovis
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Abdul A Tariq
- NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, The Value Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - David K Vawdrey
- Geisinger, Steele Institute for Health Innovation, Danville, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Adler J Perotte
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
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Beitel M, Oberleitner L, Muthulingam D, Oberleitner D, Madden LM, Marcus R, Eller A, Bono MH, Barry DT. Experiences of burnout among drug counselors in a large opioid treatment program: A qualitative investigation. Subst Abus 2019. [PMID: 29522381 DOI: 10.1080/08897077.2018.1449051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Little is known about possible experiences of burnout among drug counselors in opioid treatment programs that are scaling up capacity to address the current opioid treatment gap. METHODS Participants in this quality improvement study were 31 drug counselors employed by large opioid treatment programs whose treatment capacities were expanding. Experiences of burnout and approaches for managing and/or preventing burnout were examined using individual semi-structured interviews, which were audiotaped, transcribed, and systematically coded by a multidisciplinary team using grounded theory. RESULTS Rates of reported burnout (in response to an open-ended question) were lower than expected, with approximately 26% of participants reporting burnout. Counselor descriptions of burnout included cognitive, affective, behavioral, and physiological symptoms; and job-related demands were identified as a frequent cause. Participants described both self-initiated (e.g., engaging in pleasurable activities, exercising, taking breaks during workday) and system-supported strategies for managing or preventing burnout (e.g., availing of supervision and paid time off). Counselors provided recommendations for system-level changes to attenuate counselor risk of burnout (e.g., increased staff-wide encounters, improved communication, accessible paid time off, and increased clinical supervision). CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that drug counselor burnout is not inevitable, even in opioid treatment program settings whose treatment capacities are expanding. Organizations might benefit from routinely assessing counselor feedback about burnout and implementing feasible recommendations to attenuate burnout and promote work engagement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Beitel
- a Department of Psychiatry , Yale School of Medicine , New Haven , Connecticut , USA.,b Pain Treatment Services , The APT Foundation , Inc., New Haven , Connecticut , USA
| | - Lindsay Oberleitner
- a Department of Psychiatry , Yale School of Medicine , New Haven , Connecticut , USA
| | - Dharushana Muthulingam
- c Department of Internal Medicine , Yale School of Medicine , New Haven , Connecticut , USA
| | - David Oberleitner
- d Department of Psychology , University of Bridgeport , Bridgeport , Connecticut , USA
| | - Lynn M Madden
- a Department of Psychiatry , Yale School of Medicine , New Haven , Connecticut , USA.,b Pain Treatment Services , The APT Foundation , Inc., New Haven , Connecticut , USA
| | - Ruthanne Marcus
- c Department of Internal Medicine , Yale School of Medicine , New Haven , Connecticut , USA
| | - Anthony Eller
- b Pain Treatment Services , The APT Foundation , Inc., New Haven , Connecticut , USA.,f Yale School of Public Health , New Haven , Connecticut , USA
| | - Madeline H Bono
- b Pain Treatment Services , The APT Foundation , Inc., New Haven , Connecticut , USA.,e Department of Psychology , New York University, New York , New York , USA
| | - Declan T Barry
- a Department of Psychiatry , Yale School of Medicine , New Haven , Connecticut , USA.,b Pain Treatment Services , The APT Foundation , Inc., New Haven , Connecticut , USA
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