A hidden aspect of the U.S. opioid crisis: Rise in first-time treatment admissions for older adults with opioid use disorder.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Older adults with opioid use disorder (OUD) are a medically complex population. The current study evaluated trends in older adults seeking treatment for OUD, with a focus on primary heroin versus prescription opioid use. This study also compared older adults with OUD to the younger OUD population on demographics and drug use behaviors. METHODS:Publicly available data from state-certified addiction treatment centers were collected via the Treatment Episode Data Set - Admissions (TEDS-A) between 2004-2015. This study utilized Joinpoint Regression to conduct a cross-sectional, longitudinal analysis of trends in first-time treatment admissions for OUD in adults 55 and older (older adults; n?=?400,421) versus adults under the age of 55 (n?=?7,795,839). Given the rapid increase in older adults seeking treatment for OUD between 2013-2015, secondary outcomes include changes in demographics and drug use between 2012 (as a baseline year) and 2015. RESULTS:The proportion of older adults seeking treatment for OUD rose steadily between 2004-2013 (41.2% increase; p-trend?=?0.046), then rapidly between 2013-2015 (53.5% increase; p-trend?=?0.009). The proportion of older adults with primary heroin use more than doubled between 2012-2015 (p?

SUBMITTER: Huhn AS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6242338 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature