Characteristics of older opioid maintenance patients

Michelle R. Lofwall; Robert K. Brooner; George E. Bigelow; Kori Kindbom; Eric C. Strain

doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2005.01.007

Characteristics of older opioid maintenance patients

Michelle R. Lofwall, Robert K. Brooner, George E. Bigelow, Kori Kindbom, Eric C. Strain

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

81 Scopus citations

Abstract

The aging "baby boomer" population has higher rates of substance use than previous cohorts and is predicted to put increased demands on substance abuse treatment services; however, little is known about older illicit drug abusers. This study compared 41 older (age 50-66 years) and 26 younger (age 25-34 years) opioid maintenance patients on psychiatric, substance use, medical, general health, demographic, and psychosocial characteristics using standardized instruments. The health of both groups was compared to age and sex-matched U.S. population norms. Both groups had high rates of lifetime psychiatric and substance abuse/dependence diagnoses, and poor general health compared to population norms. The older group began using illicit substances significantly later in life, and had significantly more medical problems and worse general health than the younger group. The inevitable increasing medical morbidity and physical limitations of an increasingly large older population with substance use problems will challenge treatment providers and planners. Low rates of positive urine opioid tests occurred for both older and younger patients without age-specific services.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	265-272
Number of pages	8
Journal	Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment
Volume	28
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2005.01.007
State	Published - Apr 2005

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This study was supported by grants T32 DA0729, R01 DA12049, K02 DA00332, K05 DA00050, and P50 DA05273 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, MD. We gratefully acknowledge the Addiction Treatment Services research staff who conducted the assessments, and the patients who participated in this study. Limited portion of data presented as poster at the College on Problems of Drug Dependence, Bal Harbour, Florida, June 14–19, 2003.

Funding

This study was supported by grants T32 DA0729, R01 DA12049, K02 DA00332, K05 DA00050, and P50 DA05273 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, MD. We gratefully acknowledge the Addiction Treatment Services research staff who conducted the assessments, and the patients who participated in this study. Limited portion of data presented as poster at the College on Problems of Drug Dependence, Bal Harbour, Florida, June 14–19, 2003.

Funders	Funder number
National Institute on Drug Abuse	R01DA012049

Keywords

Age
Medical morbidity
Methadone
Opioid maintenance treatment
Substance abuse

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Psychiatric Mental Health
Medicine (miscellaneous)
Clinical Psychology
Psychiatry and Mental health

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.jsat.2005.01.007

Cite this

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title = "Characteristics of older opioid maintenance patients",

abstract = "The aging {"}baby boomer{"} population has higher rates of substance use than previous cohorts and is predicted to put increased demands on substance abuse treatment services; however, little is known about older illicit drug abusers. This study compared 41 older (age 50-66 years) and 26 younger (age 25-34 years) opioid maintenance patients on psychiatric, substance use, medical, general health, demographic, and psychosocial characteristics using standardized instruments. The health of both groups was compared to age and sex-matched U.S. population norms. Both groups had high rates of lifetime psychiatric and substance abuse/dependence diagnoses, and poor general health compared to population norms. The older group began using illicit substances significantly later in life, and had significantly more medical problems and worse general health than the younger group. The inevitable increasing medical morbidity and physical limitations of an increasingly large older population with substance use problems will challenge treatment providers and planners. Low rates of positive urine opioid tests occurred for both older and younger patients without age-specific services.",

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note = "Funding Information: This study was supported by grants T32 DA0729, R01 DA12049, K02 DA00332, K05 DA00050, and P50 DA05273 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, MD. We gratefully acknowledge the Addiction Treatment Services research staff who conducted the assessments, and the patients who participated in this study. Limited portion of data presented as poster at the College on Problems of Drug Dependence, Bal Harbour, Florida, June 14–19, 2003. ",

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AU - Strain, Eric C.

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N2 - The aging "baby boomer" population has higher rates of substance use than previous cohorts and is predicted to put increased demands on substance abuse treatment services; however, little is known about older illicit drug abusers. This study compared 41 older (age 50-66 years) and 26 younger (age 25-34 years) opioid maintenance patients on psychiatric, substance use, medical, general health, demographic, and psychosocial characteristics using standardized instruments. The health of both groups was compared to age and sex-matched U.S. population norms. Both groups had high rates of lifetime psychiatric and substance abuse/dependence diagnoses, and poor general health compared to population norms. The older group began using illicit substances significantly later in life, and had significantly more medical problems and worse general health than the younger group. The inevitable increasing medical morbidity and physical limitations of an increasingly large older population with substance use problems will challenge treatment providers and planners. Low rates of positive urine opioid tests occurred for both older and younger patients without age-specific services.

AB - The aging "baby boomer" population has higher rates of substance use than previous cohorts and is predicted to put increased demands on substance abuse treatment services; however, little is known about older illicit drug abusers. This study compared 41 older (age 50-66 years) and 26 younger (age 25-34 years) opioid maintenance patients on psychiatric, substance use, medical, general health, demographic, and psychosocial characteristics using standardized instruments. The health of both groups was compared to age and sex-matched U.S. population norms. Both groups had high rates of lifetime psychiatric and substance abuse/dependence diagnoses, and poor general health compared to population norms. The older group began using illicit substances significantly later in life, and had significantly more medical problems and worse general health than the younger group. The inevitable increasing medical morbidity and physical limitations of an increasingly large older population with substance use problems will challenge treatment providers and planners. Low rates of positive urine opioid tests occurred for both older and younger patients without age-specific services.

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Characteristics of older opioid maintenance patients

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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