TY - JOUR
T1 - Prescription medication exchange patterns among methadone maintenance patients
AU - Caviness, Celeste M.
AU - Anderson, Bradley J.
AU - de Dios, Marcel A.
AU - Kurth, Megan
AU - Stein, Michael
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was funded by the National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse AA 014495. Dr. Stein is a recipient of NIDA Award K24 DA000512. The NIAAA and NIDA had no further role in study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the paper for publication.
PY - 2013/1/1
Y1 - 2013/1/1
N2 - Background: Exchange of prescription medications is a significant public health problem particularly among substance abusing populations. Little is known about the extent of medication sharing and receiving behaviors in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) populations and the factors associated with such behaviors. Methods: We examined rates, and factors associated with past year medication sharing and receiving practices of 315 MMT smokers who had enrolled in a clinical trial of smoking cessation. Sequential logistic regression models estimated the effect of demographic and substance use variables on the probability of sharing or receiving medications. Results: Participants averaged 40. years of age, and 49% were male. Among persons prescribed medications, 19.9% reported sharing. Nearly 40% had used medication not prescribed to them. Pain medications, sleep medications, and sedatives, were most commonly shared and received. Younger age was a significant predictor of both sharing medications (OR = 0.92, 95%CI 0.88; 0.96, p< .01) and receiving medications (OR = 0.94, 95%CI 0.92; 0.97, p< .01). Financial hardship (OR = 2.05, 95%CI 1.13; 3.72, p< .05), and recent use of heroin (OR = 5.59, 95%CI 1.89; 16.57, p< .01) or cocaine (OR = 3.70, 95%CI 1.48; 9.28, p< .05), were also independently associated with a significantly higher likelihood of receiving prescription drugs of abuse. Conclusions: The high prevalence of prescription medication sharing and receiving behaviors among persons in MMT often include substances with abuse potential and suggest the need for comprehensive approaches for minimizing this phenomenon.
AB - Background: Exchange of prescription medications is a significant public health problem particularly among substance abusing populations. Little is known about the extent of medication sharing and receiving behaviors in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) populations and the factors associated with such behaviors. Methods: We examined rates, and factors associated with past year medication sharing and receiving practices of 315 MMT smokers who had enrolled in a clinical trial of smoking cessation. Sequential logistic regression models estimated the effect of demographic and substance use variables on the probability of sharing or receiving medications. Results: Participants averaged 40. years of age, and 49% were male. Among persons prescribed medications, 19.9% reported sharing. Nearly 40% had used medication not prescribed to them. Pain medications, sleep medications, and sedatives, were most commonly shared and received. Younger age was a significant predictor of both sharing medications (OR = 0.92, 95%CI 0.88; 0.96, p< .01) and receiving medications (OR = 0.94, 95%CI 0.92; 0.97, p< .01). Financial hardship (OR = 2.05, 95%CI 1.13; 3.72, p< .05), and recent use of heroin (OR = 5.59, 95%CI 1.89; 16.57, p< .01) or cocaine (OR = 3.70, 95%CI 1.48; 9.28, p< .05), were also independently associated with a significantly higher likelihood of receiving prescription drugs of abuse. Conclusions: The high prevalence of prescription medication sharing and receiving behaviors among persons in MMT often include substances with abuse potential and suggest the need for comprehensive approaches for minimizing this phenomenon.
KW - Diversion
KW - Methadone
KW - Prescription medication
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U2 - 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2012.07.007
DO - 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2012.07.007
M3 - Article
C2 - 22854293
AN - SCOPUS:84870942506
SN - 0376-8716
VL - 127
SP - 232
EP - 238
JO - Drug and alcohol dependence
JF - Drug and alcohol dependence
IS - 1-3
ER -