Dataset Information

Opioid and sedative misuse among veterans wounded in combat.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Military veterans wounded in combat are a high-risk group for emotional and physical distress, which may be exacerbated by misuse of prescription opioids and sedatives. The goal of the current study was to examine the prevalence and correlates of prescription opioid and sedative misuse among veterans wounded in combat.

Method

We recruited veterans from the Combat Wounded Coalition (n = 212; 84% non-Hispanic White; 97.6% male) to complete an online survey of mental health and substance use disorder symptoms, assessed via the DSM-5 Self-Rated Level 1 Cross-Cutting Symptoms Measure, the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist for DSM-5, the Pain Enjoyment General Activity Scale, and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Prescription opioid and sedative misuse was assessed by frequency of use in the past year that was not currently prescribed or using more than prescribed.

Results

Participants reported high rates of past year prescription opioid misuse (46.2%) and sedative misuse (21.7%). Misuse of both opioids and sedatives was associated with the most distress, including greater depression, anger, sleep disturbance, AUDIT scores, PTSD symptoms, suicidality, and pain interference. In multivariable multinomial logistic regression analyses, greater sleep disturbance (OR = 1.73) was associated with greater odds of sedative misuse versus no misuse. Higher AUDIT scores were associated with greater risk of sedative misuse (OR = 1.16) versus opioid misuse only.

Conclusions

Military veterans wounded in combat have high rates of prescription opioid misuse and sedative misuse. Sleep problems and AUDIT scores might help identify veterans who are at most risk for opioid and sedative misuse.

SUBMITTER: Kelley ML

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10617000 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Opioid and sedative misuse among veterans wounded in combat.

Kelley Michelle L ML Bravo Adrian J AJ Votaw Victoria R VR Stein Elena E Redman Jason C JC Witkiewitz Katie K

Addictive behaviors 20181210

<h4>Background</h4>Military veterans wounded in combat are a high-risk group for emotional and physical distress, which may be exacerbated by misuse of prescription opioids and sedatives. The goal of the current study was to examine the prevalence and correlates of prescription opioid and sedative misuse among veterans wounded in combat.<h4>Method</h4>We recruited veterans from the Combat Wounded Coalition (n = 212; 84% non-Hispanic White; 97.6% male) to complete an online survey of mental healt ...[more]

PMID: 30640149

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Project description:IntroductionOpioid and sedative/hypnotic drug overdoses are major causes of morbidity in the U.S. This study compares 12-month incidence of fatal unintentional drug overdose, suicide, and other mortality among emergency department patients presenting with nonfatal opioid or sedative/hypnotic overdose.MethodsThis is a retrospective cohort study using statewide, longitudinally linked emergency department patient record and mortality data from California. Participants comprised all residents presenting to a licensed emergency department at least once in 2009-2011 with nonfatal unintentional opioid overdose, sedative/hypnotic overdose, or neither (a 5% random sample). Participants were followed for 1 year after index emergency department presentation to assess death from unintentional overdose, suicide, or other causes, ascertained using ICD-10 codes. Absolute death rates per 100,000 person years and standardized mortality ratios relative to the general population were calculated. Data were analyzed February-August 2019.ResultsFollowing the index emergency department visit, unintentional overdose death rates per 100,000 person years were 1,863 following opioid overdose, 342 following sedative/hypnotic overdose, and 31 for reference patients without an index overdose (respective standardized mortality ratios of 106.1, 95% CI=95.2, 116.9; 24.5, 95% CI=21.3, 27.6; and 2.6, 95% CI=2.2, 3.0). Suicide mortality rates per 100,000 were 319, 174, and 32 following opioid overdose, sedative/hypnotic overdose, and reference visits, respectively. Natural causes mortality rates per 100,000 were 8,058 (opioid overdose patients), 17,301 (sedative/hypnotic overdose patients), and 3,097 (reference patients).ConclusionsEmergency department patients with nonfatal opioid or sedative/hypnotic drug overdose have exceptionally high risks of death from unintentional overdose, suicide, and other causes. Emergency department-based interventions offer potential for reducing these patients' overdose and other mortality risks.

Project description:BackgroundPatients recovering from opioid use disorders (OUD) may be prone to relapse and opioid misuse in the postoperative period due to re-exposure to prescription opioids for pain control. This retrospective study analyzed the incidence of confirmed opioid misuse in the postoperative period in patients with OUDs enrolled in an opioid agonist treatment (OAT) program.MethodsThe study population was US veterans with a diagnosis of OUD who enrolled in the OAT program at VA Maryland Health Care System (Baltimore, Maryland, USA) between 1/1/2000 and 12/31/2016. The patients were excluded if they were enrolled in OAT for less than a year, or if they had surgery within the first 180 days after OAT admission. The surgical group consisted of veterans who had surgery or an invasive procedure during their enrollment in the OAT program. The control (reference) group consisted of enrolled veterans who did not have any invasive procedure. The primary outcome was the first opioid misuse within 365 days after surgery date in the surgical group or a randomly assigned sham surgery date in controls. Opioid misuse was defined as either inappropriate use of opioids detected via urinalysis or admission with a diagnosis of an opioid overdose.ResultsFrom a total of 1352 patients enrolled in the OAT program, 413 were excluded because they were enrolled for less than a year, and 26 were excluded because they had surgery within the first 180 days after admission to the OAT program. Of the 923 eligible patients, 87 had surgery while enrolled and 836 did not. Using propensity scores, all 87 of the surgical cases were matched to 249 of the control cases. In the matched groups, surgery was positively associated with postoperative opioid misuse (odds ratio (OR) of 1.91, 95% CI 1.05-3.48, p = 0.034) in logistic regression.ConclusionAmong patients with a history of opioid use disorders, the postoperative period was associated with an increased risk of opioid misuse. Moreover, opioid misuse among patients in an opioid agonist treatment program may well be considered a surgical hazard.

Dataset Information

Opioid and sedative misuse among veterans wounded in combat.

Background

Method

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Opioid and sedative misuse among veterans wounded in combat.

Similar Datasets

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