Addiction Treatment Forum | Research/Surveys

Retention in Opioid Agonist Treatment after Prison Release Reduces Re-incarceration

March 23, 2012 By ATForum Leave a Comment

Opioid agonist treatment (OAT) in prison and after release might influence the risk of re-incarceration. This prospective cohort study linked data on OAT and incarceration among 375 men with heroin use originally recruited in 1996–1997 for a randomized controlled trial of OAT in prison in New South Wales, Australia. Participants were followed through 2006.

During 9+ years of observation, 331 participants engaged in OAT 1081 times, with a median of 2 episodes per participant (mean length of engagement, 156 days); 58% started OAT in prison.
Ninety percent of participants were re-incarcerated after the first incarceration.
Engagement in OAT at the time of release had no effect on re-incarceration.
Post-release retention in OAT was associated with a one-fifth reduction in the number of re-incarcerations.

Comments: This study affirms that retention in OAT following release is associated with reduced re-incarceration among former prisoners with opioid dependence. Although other investigations have shown that initiating OAT prior to release maximizes post-release treatment retention, the current study suggests active linkage to ongoing treatment is an essential component. Continuing or initiating OAT during incarceration is necessary but not sufficient to optimize post-release outcomes among opioid-dependent inmates; correctional systems and treatment providers must also provide transitional assistance to ensure that former inmates reach OAT programs after release.

Published In: Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Health: Current Evidence a project of the Boston Medical Center issue January/February 2012. Access checked 3/12/12. Peter D. Friedmann, MD, MPH

Original Source: Larney S, Toson B, Burns L, et al. Effect of prison-based opioid substitution treatment and post-release retention in treatment on risk of reincarceration. Addiction. 2012;107 (2):372–380.

Filed Under: 2012-03-23, Drug Courts & Criminal Justice, Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), News Updates, Research/Surveys Tagged With: Methadone Treatment, Relapse

Research Abstract: Link Between Prescription and Illicit Drug Misuse in High-Risk Populations

March 15, 2012 By ATForum Leave a Comment

Background. Prescription drug misuse among young adults is increasingly viewed as a public health concern, yet most research has focused on student populations and excluded high-risk groups. Furthermore, research on populations who report recent prescription drug misuse is limited. This study examined patterns of prescription drug misuse among high-risk young adults in Los Angeles and New York, which represent different local markets for illicit and prescription drugs.

Design and Methods. Between 2009 and 2011, 596 young adults (16 to 25 years old) who had misused prescription drugs within the past 90 days were interviewed in Los Angeles and New York. Sampling was stratified to enroll three groups of high-risk young adults: injection drug users (IDUs); homeless persons; and poly drug users.

Results. In both sites, lifetime history of receiving a prescription for an opioid, tranquilizer, or stimulant was high and commonly preceded misuse. Moreover, initiation of opioids occurred before heroin and initiation of prescription stimulants happened prior to illicit stimulants. NY participants more frequently misused oxycodone, heroin, and cocaine, and LA participants more frequently misused codeine, marijuana, and methamphetamine. Combining prescription and illicit drugs during drug using events was commonly reported in both sites. Opioids and tranquilizers were used as substitutes for other drugs, e.g., heroin, when these drugs were not available.

Conclusion. Patterns of drug use among high-risk young adults in Los Angeles and New York appear to be linked to differences in local markets in each city for illicit drugs and diverted prescription drugs.

Free access to the article is available at: http://www.jphres.org/index.php/jphres/article/view/jphr.2012.e6/html

Source: Journal of Public Health Research – Volume 1, #1 (2012)

Filed Under: 2012-03-16, News Updates, Opioid Abuse/Addiction, Prescription Drugs, Research/Surveys Tagged With: Prescription Opioids

CESAR FAX Publishes Report Warning of Emerging Epidemic of Buprenorphine Misuse

March 15, 2012 By ATForum Leave a Comment

Prior research has shown that criminal offenders’ drug test results can help identify emerging drug epidemics well before they become evident in surveys and other community indicators. CESAR staff recently pilot tested the Adult Offender Population Urine Screening (OPUS) Program in Maryland as a rapid, low-cost tool for detecting and assessing emerging local drug trends.

In 2008, 1,061 urine specimens* originally collected and screened for 5 or fewer drugs by Maryland Division of Parole and Probation (DPP) agents were systematically sampled and sent to an independent laboratory for expanded testing for 31 drugs. The results showed an increase in the percentage of persons testing positive for buprenorphine since a smaller 2005 pilot study, and that these specimens often contained other drugs, suggesting possible misuse. Of the 98 specimens that tested positive for buprenorphine, 45% also contained two or more additional drugs and more than 60% contained other opioids (data not shown).

The drugs most frequently found were morphine (45%), cocaine (27%), marijuana (19%), and benzodiazepines (19%; see figure below). Both other opioids and benzodiazepines could have lethal consequences if used with buprenorphine¹.

A unique benefit of OPUS is that it enables the identification of local areas where drug misuse may be emerging. Once specific hot spots are identified, follow-up interviews can provide concrete details about substance use that can be used to guide criminal justice and public health efforts. CESAR staff conducted interviews in 2010 with 15 supervisees in one of the six probation offices close to Baltimore that submitted a high percentage of buprenorphine- positive specimens. The supervisees reported wide-spread availability of buprenorphine in the street and in prisons. While the most frequently mentioned reason for using buprenorphine was for self-medication to manage withdrawal symptoms, several participants mentioned that buprenorphine could be used to get high or to enhance the effects of other drugs. Additional reports of the smuggling of buprenorphine into jails and diversion of the drug to the street have also been reported across the country².

The Maryland Adult OPUS findings, combined with national indicators of increased buprenorphine availability, diversion, and nonmedical use, suggest that there may be an epidemic of buprenorphine misuse emerging across the U.S. Unfortunately, “current testing protocols do not routinely include buprenorphine and cannot inform us of the magnitude and scope of buprenorphine misuse. Thus, offenders smuggle the drug into jails and prisons because its use will go undetected and buprenorphine-related deaths cannot be tracked because medical examiners and coroners do not routinely test for the drug in most states” (p. 6).

The authors recommend that “buprenorphine be added to all relevant drug testing regimens, if only to gauge the extent of diversion and misuse” (p. 6). In addition, the authors suggest that physician education programs “redouble their efforts to teach strategies to deter diversion and misuse of the drug” (p. 3) and that doctors closely monitor dosing “to ensure that the appropriate amount is prescribed, thereby reducing the likelihood of diversion” (p. 6). The OPUS model could be easily replicated in other states interested in tracking emerging prescription and other drug problems.

Percentage of Buprenorphine-Positive Specimens Testing Positive for Other Drugs, 2008 (N=98)

*To enhance the likelihood of detecting less commonly used drugs, we targeted random samples of 15 drug-positive specimens and 5 drug-negative specimens submitted by each DPP office.

1) Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals Inc., Suboxone Tablet Product Information, 2012. Available online at: http://www.suboxone.com/pdfs/SuboxonePI_tablet.pdf. 2) CESAR FAX, Volume 20, Issue 33 and CESAR FAX Buprenorphine Series, 2012. Available online at http://www.cesar.umd.edu/cesar/cesarfax.asp.

Source: Adapted by CESAR from Wish, ED, Artigiani, E, Billing, A, Hauser, W, Hemberg, J, Shiplet, M, and DuPont, R, “The Emerging Buprenorphine Epidemic in the United States,” Journal of Addictive Diseases 31(1):3-7, 2012. Available online at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10550887.2011.642757.

Filed Under: 2012-03-16, News Updates, Prescription Drugs, Research/Surveys Tagged With: Addiction, Buprenorphine, Drug Testing

RESEARCH REPORT: Study Finds No Evidence That Methadone Was Cause of Driving Accidents

March 8, 2012 By ATForum Leave a Comment

A research report from Norway published in the December 11, 2011 issue of Addiction found that men taking methadone for opioid addiction were more than twice as likely as the general population to be involved in motor vehicle accidents with personal injury. However, there was no evidence that the methadone itself caused the accidents. The study did not even suggest that stable patients on methadone maintenance treatment (MMT)—men or women—
are any more likely to be in motor vehicle accidents than non-MMT patients.

The lead author told Reuters Health, which picked up the study and ran it under a distorted headline (“Drivers on methadone twice as likely to crash”) December 30, that to blame methadone for the crashes would be speculation. “Many different things go into increasing traffic accident risk, like reduced attention, slowed reaction, slowed psychomotor performance, less accurate psychomotor performance, etc.,” said Jorgen G. Bramness, MD, PhD, of the Norwegian Centre for Addiction Research at the University of Oslo.

The Reuters Health article, mainly because of the misleading headline, attracted a lot of attention among opioid treatment programs (OTPs) in the U.S.

The Study

The study was based on records of all Norwegian adults aged 18 to 70, whose prescription data and motor vehicle histories were followed for 2.5 years. Of the 8.1 million “person years” of data generated, 4,626 “person years” involved all methadone prescriptions for the treatment of opioid addiction, and all benzodiazepine prescriptions. About 1,800 people were prescribed methadone, and 26 motor vehicle accidents were reported in this group. Men who were in MMT were twice as likely to be involved in motor vehicle accidents as the rest of the population. This increased risk couldn’t be explained by exposure to benzodiazepines. The authors stated: “We did not know if the methadone was actually taken, or, if it was taken, when and how much.”

Also:

Women on MMT were not at increased risk.
The study did not look at alcohol or drugs other than methadone and benzodiazepines.
The study did not look at whether the methadone patients were in the induction phase of treatment or were stabilized on methadone.

Conclusions

What does this study mean for OTPs? Not much at all. First, the number of accidents in the methadone group—26—was very small. Second, nothing in the report points to any issues related to the ability of stable MMT patients to drive safely. The fact that methadone had no effect on the accident rate among women in the study suggests that a factor other than the medication may have been involved, the authors said.

When patients are not stabilized on their methadone dose, it is inadvisable for them to drive. When they are stable, they can drive, as Norway’s own regulations say.

For an abstract of the Addiction article, go to
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2011.03745.x/abstract;jsessionid=79474E85DA1DE24B4C5F7C893A20F158.d01t01. Accessed February 20, 2012.

For the Reuters Health article, go to
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/30/us-drivers-methadone-idUSTRE7BT0Z920111230. Accessed February 20, 2012.

For the Legal Action Center’s 2000 memorandum on methadone and driving, go to
http://www.lac.org/doc_library/lac/publications/mmt-memo_on_driving_and_psychomotor_studies.pdf. Accessed February 20, 2012.

Filed Under: Newsletter, Research/Surveys, Winter 2012 Tagged With: Methadone Treatment, Opioid Treatment Programs

Vital Signs: HIV Prevention through Care and Treatment in the U.S. – Research Abstract

December 19, 2011 By ATForum 1 Comment

Background: An estimated 1.2 million persons in the United States were living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in 2008. Improving survival of persons with HIV and reducing transmission involve a continuum of services that includes diagnosis (HIV testing), linkage to and retention in HIV medical care, and ongoing HIV prevention interventions, including appropriately timed antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Methods: CDC used three surveillance datasets to estimate recent HIV testing and HIV prevalence among U.S. adults by state, and the percentages of HIV-infected adults receiving HIV care for whom ART was prescribed, who achieved viral suppression, and who received prevention counseling from health-care providers. Published data were used to estimate the numbers of persons in the United States living with and diagnosed with HIV and, based on viral load and CD4 laboratory reports, linked to and retained in HIV care.

Results: In 2010, 9.6% of adults had been tested for HIV during the preceding 12 months (range by state: 4.9%–29.8%). Of the estimated 942,000 persons with HIV who were aware of their infection, approximately 77% were linked to care, and 51% remained in care. Among HIV-infected adults in care, 45% received prevention counseling, and 89% were prescribed ART, of whom 77% had viral suppression. Thus, an estimated 28% of all HIV-infected persons in the United States have a suppressed viral load.

Conclusions: Prevalence of HIV testing and linkage to care are high but warrant continued effort. Increasing the percentages of HIV-infected persons who remain in HIV care, achieve viral suppression, and receive prevention counseling requires additional effort.

Implications for Public Health Practice: Public health officials and HIV care providers should improve engagement at each step in the continuum of HIV care and monitor progress in every community using laboratory reports of viral load and CD4 test results.

The full report can be accessed at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm60e1129a1.htm?s_cid=mm60e1129a1_e&source=govdelivery

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – November 29, 2011

Filed Under: December 2011, News Updates, Research/Surveys Tagged With: HIV/AIDS, Research

Length of Time from First Use to Adult Substance Abuse Treatment Admission – TEDS Admission Data 2009

October 17, 2011 By ATForum Leave a Comment

To reduce the negative consequences of substance abuse, it is important for individuals who need treatment to receive treatment services as soon as possible. However, the length of time between first use of a substance to treatment entry for abuse of that substance can be substantial.

The length of time between first use and entry into substance abuse treatment differed by primary substance of abuse. Adult first-time alcohol admissions had the longest duration of use with an average of 20.2 years between first use and treatment entry. The duration of use among first-time cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and stimulant admissions ranged from 12 to 14 years. The shortest duration of use was for first-time prescription drug admissions with an average of 7.8 years between first use and treatment entry.

Discussion

The years between first use and treatment admission suggest that there may have been missed opportunities for intervention. Culturally appropriate outreach services that help individuals recognize the need for and potential benefits of treatment may help to ensure that individuals in need of treatment receive services sooner rather than later, thus giving them the best chances for successful recovery.

The shorter duration of use prior to first treatment for prescription drugs than for other substances may indicate a high potential for problematic substance use patterns to develop quickly. Therefore it is critical that physicians and other health professionals be vigilant in looking for signs of misuse of these drugs so that intervention can occur as soon as possible.

http://www.atforum.com/addiction-resources/documents/WEB_TEDS_026_HTML_000.pdf

Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. (September 29, 2011). The TEDS Report: Length of Time from First Use to Adult Treatment Admission. Rockville, MD.

Filed Under: Addiction, Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), October 2011, Opioid Abuse/Addiction, Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs), Other Drugs of Abuse, Research/Surveys Tagged With: Addiction, Heroin, Opioid Treatment Programs, Prescription Opioids

Redefining Retention: Recovery from the Methadone Patient’s Perspective

September 29, 2011 By ATForum Leave a Comment

A recent study in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs examines the process of discharge and treatment reentry for six participants who entered treatment voluntarily but were administratively discharged from methadone treatment programs.

The participants completed semistructured interviews at treatment entry and at four, eight and 12 months post-treatment entry. Grounded theory methodology was used to examine the phenomenon of treatment reentry from the perspective of the patients, who often viewed their recovery as an accumulation of positive changes. Differences in terms of the patients’ goals and motivations for seeking treatment from those of the treatment programs, combined with difficulties encountered during the treatment process eventually led to discharge. However, these patients were then able to navigate their way through the treatment system in different ways in order to remain in treatment.

The authors conclude that failure to abide by treatment clinic rules do not necessary constitute “treatment failure” from the perspective of patients, who often wish to remain in treatment even if it is not progressing optimally from the program’s perspective. As a result, the recovery process can be more fragmented and is often characterized by a series of cyclical treatment episodes rather than continuous time in treatment, thereby impeding their progress towards recovery.

The authors offer the following practical suggestions that may be useful to treatment program staff and administrators:

Identify patients’ self-stated needs and goals relevant to drug treatment through good communication and trust building, and help patients better vocalize their needs and expectations.
Carefully examine and consider the patients’ prior treatment experiences and meet them where they are in terms of treatment needs and expectations, rather than having a predetermined requirement for treatment for all patients.
Tailor treatment to the patients’ work schedule. The patients value and need to earn a living and should not be penalized because of employment requirements. This will help reduce barriers to retention.
Work with the patients to try and resolve emerging problems, such as noncompliance issues. Rather than have counseling staff assume conflicting duties (i.e., confidant and reporter of rule infractions), it may be preferable to use an ombudsman to help resolve such conflicts.
When necessary, actively facilitate program transfer. Program staff should facilitate seamless and direct transfer of patients to other treatment programs and not administratively detox them without a meaningful referral, so that they may be “retained in treatment” elsewhere. This is an approach that should not be reserved only for select and vulnerable patients (e.g., pregnant women) but rather afforded to all patients, as is routinely done in medical care.

Study Limitations – This study has a number of limitations, including the limited sample size and the fact that the data come from one city and hence may not generalize elsewhere. Despite these limitations, it is clear that some involuntarily discharged methadone patients can and do seek admission elsewhere in order to continue their drug treatment. The available data from clinical and community trials support their efforts, given the increased risk of HIV seroconversion, arrest and incarceration and overdose death borne by out-of-treatment heroin-addicted individuals. Treatment programs should do what they can to retain patients in treatment, either at their facility or by arranging a seamless transfer to be “retained in treatment” and continue their care elsewhere.

The article is available online free-of-charge at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3160714/pdf/nihms310019.pdf

Source: J Psychoactive Drugs. 2011; 43(2): 99–107.

Filed Under: Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), News Updates, Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs), Research/Surveys, September 2011 Tagged With: Methadone Treatment, Opioid Treatment Programs, Recovery

National Survey Shows a Rise in Illicit Drug Use from 2008 To 2010

September 28, 2011 By ATForum 2 Comments

The use of illicit drugs among Americans increased between 2008 and 2010 according to a national survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) shows that 22.6 million Americans 12 or older (8.9 percent of the population) were current illicit drug users. The rate of use in 2010 was similar to the rate in 2009 (8.7 percent), but remained above the 2008 rate (8 percent).An increased rate in the current use of marijuana seems to be one of the prime factors in the overall rise in illicit drug use. Another disturbing trend is the continuing rise in the rate of current illicit drug use among young adults aged 18 to 25—from 19.6 percent in 2008 to 21.5 percent in 2010. This increase was also driven in large part by a rise in the rate of current marijuana use among this population.

Non-Medical Use of Pain Relievers

In 2010, the number of new users of pain relievers was 2.0 million, a number that has remained fairly constant since 2005 and was a decrease from 2002, 2003, and 2004 levels (2.3 million, 2.5 million, and 2.4 million, respectively). The average age at first nonmedical use of pain relievers was 21.0 years.
In 2010, the number of new nonmedical users of OxyContin® aged 12 or older was 598,000, with an average age at first use of 22.8 years among those aged 12 to 49. These estimates are similar to those for 2009 (584,000 and 22.3 years, respectively).
The majority (55 percent) of persons aged 12 and older who had used prescription pain relievers non-medically in the past 12 months received them from a friend or relative for free. Only 4.4 percent of those misusing pain relievers in the past year reported getting their supply from a drug dealer and 0.4 percent bought it on the Internet.

Heroin

In 2010, there were 140,000 persons aged 12 or older who had used heroin for the first time within the past 12 months. The average age at first use among recent initiates aged 12 to 49 was 21.3 years, significantly lower than the 2009 estimate (25.5 years).

As in previous years, the 2010 NSDUH shows a vast disparity between the number of people needing specialized treatment for a substance abuse problem and the number who actually receive it. According to the survey, 23.1 million Americans aged 12 or older (9.1 percent) needed specialized treatment for a substance abuse problem, but only 2.6 million (or roughly 11.2 percent of them) received it.

NSDUH is a scientifically conducted annual survey of approximately 67,500 people throughout the country, aged 12 and older. Because of its statistical power, it is the nation’s primary source of statistical information on the scope and nature of many substance abuse behavioral health issues affecting the nation.

The complete survey findings are available at:http://atforum.com/addiction-resources/documents/NSDUH2010.pdf

Source: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration – September 8, 2011

Filed Under: News Updates, Other Drugs of Abuse, Research/Surveys, September 2011 Tagged With: Illicit Drugs, Research

New Multi-Year Data Show Annual HIV Infections in U.S. Relatively Stable

August 27, 2011 By ATForum 2 Comments

The CDC’s first multi-year estimates from its national HIV incidence surveillance find that overall, the annual number of new HIV infections in the US was relatively stable at approximately 50,000 new infections each year between 2006 and 2009. However, HIV infections increased among young men who have sex with men (MSM) between 2006 and 2009, driven by alarming increases among young, black MSM – the only subpopulation to experience a sustained increase during the time period.

The new estimates were published August 3rd in the online scientific journal PLoS ONE. The incidence estimates are based on direct measurement of new HIV infections with a laboratory test that can distinguish recent from long-standing HIV infections.

“More than 30 years into the HIV epidemic, about 50,000 people in this country still become infected each year. Not only do men who have sex with men continue to account for most new infections, young gay and bisexual men are the only group in which infections are increasing, and this increase is particularly concerning among young African American MSM ,” said CDC Director Thomas Frieden, M.D. “HIV infections can be prevented. By getting tested, reducing risky behaviors, and getting treatment, people can protect themselves and their loved ones.”

According to the new estimates, there were 48,600 new HIV infections in the United States in 2006, 56,000 in 2007, 47,800 in 2008 and 48,100 in 2009. The multi-year incidence estimates allow for a reliable examination of trends over time. They reveal no statistically significant change in HIV incidence overall from 2006 to 2009, with an average of 50,000 for the four-year period. In 2009, the largest number of new infections was among white MSM (11,400), followed closely by black MSM (10,800). Hispanic MSM (6,000) and black women (5,400) were also heavily affected.

“While we’re encouraged that prevention efforts have helped avoid overall increases in HIV infections in the United States, and have significantly reduced new infections from the peak in the mid-1980s, we have plateaued at an unacceptably high level,” said Kevin Fenton, M.D., director of CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention. “Without intensified HIV prevention efforts, we are likely to face an era of rising infection rates and higher health care costs for a preventable condition that already affects more than one million people in this country.”

The press release can be accessed at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/HIVIncidencePressRelease.html

For more information visit www.cdc.gov/hiv. To access the new CDC analysis in the journal PLoS One, visit http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0017502.

Note: See related article posted online by the New York Times at: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/04/health/04hiv.html

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – August 3, 2011

Filed Under: August 2011, Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), News Updates, Opioid Abuse/Addiction, Research/Surveys Tagged With: Heroin, HIV/AIDS

Medical Misuse of Controlled Medications Among Adolescents

August 26, 2011 By ATForum Leave a Comment

adolescent medical misuse

Objectives – To determine the past-year medical misuse prevalence for four controlled medication classes (pain, stimulant, sleeping, and antianxiety) among adolescents, and to assess substance use outcomes among adolescents who report medical misuse.

Design – A Web-based survey was self-administered by 2,744 secondary school students in 2009-2010.

Setting - Two southeastern Michigan school districts.

Participants - The sample had a mean age of 14.8 years andwas 51.1% female. The racial/ethnic distribution was 65.0% white,29.5% African American, 3.7% Asian, 1.3% Hispanic, and 0.5%other.

Main Outcome Measures - Past-year medical use and misuseof 4 controlled medication classes.

Results - Eighteen percent of the sample reported past-yearmedical use of at least one prescribed controlled medication.Among past-year medical users, 22.0% reported misuse of theircontrolled medications, including taking too much, intentionallygetting high, or using to increase alcohol or other drug effects.Medical misusers were more likely than nonmisusers to diverttheir controlled medications and to abuse other substances.The odds of a positive screening result for drug abuse weresubstantially higher among medical misusers (adjusted odds ratio,7.8; 95% confidence interval, 4.3-14.2) compared with medicalusers who used their controlled medications appropriately. Theodds of drug abuse did not differ between medical users whoused their controlled medications appropriately and nonusers.

The article abstract can be accessed at: http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/165/8/729

Source: Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine – August 8, 2011

Filed Under: August 2011, News Updates, Opioid Abuse/Addiction, Other Drugs of Abuse, Research/Surveys Tagged With: Prescription Opioids

Self-Medicating Anxiety Raises Risk of Social Phobia and Substance Abuse Disorders

August 26, 2011 By ATForum Leave a Comment

Individuals with anxiety-related symptoms who self-medicate with drugs or alcohol have a higher risk of having a substance abuse problem and social phobia, researchers from the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada, revealed in Archives of General Psychiatry.

The article can be accessed at: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/232045.php

Source: Medical News Today – August 8, 2011

Filed Under: August 2011, News Updates, Research/Surveys Tagged With: Dual Disorders

Study: Benzodiazepine Use by OTP Patients May Indicate Untreated Anxiety

August 15, 2011 By ATForum Leave a Comment

A recent study based on an anonymous survey of methadone patients in a Baltimore, Maryland opioid treatment program (OTP) found that more than half of benzodiazepine users attending group meetings had started using these drugs after entering methadone maintenance (MM) treatment.

The authors caution that their study results should not be used to make clinic policy, or to change operations. This article could be helpful to OTPs as they try to deal with the issue of benzodiazepine abuse.

“The study findings suggest that most methadone programs do not address co-occurring anxiety problems,” the authors concluded. Further study is needed “to develop effective treatments that will simultaneously target addiction symptoms, anxiety disorders,” and misuse of benzodiazepines.

The authors noted that benzodiazepine misuse increases the risk for relapse and overdose.

The study, Benzodiazepine Use and Misuse Among Patients in a Methadone Program, by Kevin W. Chen et al, is published in BMC Psychiatry, May 19, 2011. The article is available for free download at: http://atforum.com/addiction-resources/documents/Benzodiazepines.pdf.

Filed Under: Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), Newsletter, Other Drugs of Abuse, Research/Surveys, Summer 2011 Tagged With: Benzodiazepines, Opioid Treatment Programs, OTP Patients, Overdose, Relapse