Buprenorphine-Naloxone Maintenance Following Release from Jail

• NCJ Number: 239134
• Journal: Substance Abuse Volume: 33 Issue: 1 Dated: January-March 2012 Pages: 40-47
• Author(s): Joshua D. Lee, M.D., M.Sc.; Ellie Grossman, M.D., M.P.H.; Andrea Truncali, M.D., M.P.H.; John Rotrosen, M.D.; Andrew Rosenbaum, Ph.D.; Stephen Magura, Ph.D.; Marc N. Gourevitch, M.D., M.P.H.
• Date Published: February 2012
• Length: 8 pages
• Grant Number(s): R21-DA020583
• Sponsoring Agency: New York City Dept of Health and Mental Hygiene; National Institute on Drug Abuse; New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study compared treatment retention and opioid misuse among opioid-dependent adults seeking buprenorphine/naloxone maintenance in an urban primary care clinic.

Abstract

Primary care is understudied as a reentry drug and alcohol treatment setting. This study compared treatment retention and opioid misuse among opioid-dependent adults seeking buprenorphine/naloxone maintenance in an urban primary care clinic following release from jail versus community referrals. Postrelease patients were either (a) induced to buprenorphine in-jail as part of a clinical trial, or (b) seeking buprenorphine induction post release. From 2007 to 2008, N = 142 patients were new to primary care buprenorphine: n = 32 postrelease; n = 110 induced after community referral and without recent incarceration. Jail-released patients were more likely African American or Hispanic and uninsured. Treatment retention rates for postrelease (37 percent) versus community (30 percent) referrals were similar at 48 weeks. Rates of opioid positive urines and self-reported opioid misuse were also similar between groups. Postrelease patients in primary care buprenorphine treatment had equal treatment retention and rates of opioid abstinence versus community-referred patients. (Published Abstract)