Just 1 in 5 Americans Struggling With Opioid Misuse Gets Meds That Can Help

By Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Aug. 7, 2023 (HealthDay Information) — The U.S. opioid abuse epidemic wages on, and overdose deaths proceed to rise, but simply 1 in 5 individuals receives probably lifesaving treatment reminiscent of methadone, buprenorphine or naltrexone to deal with their dependancy, a brand new examine finds.

“These drugs are efficient for prescription opioids like hydrocodone [Vicodin] and oxycodone [OxyContin] and all these drugs we depend on for ache, or road opioids reminiscent of fentanyl, heroin and a handful of others,” mentioned examine creator Dr. Wilson Compton.

“Regardless of the supply of treatment, the overwhelming majority of individuals with opioid use dysfunction aren’t utilizing drugs that might assist deal with this severe well being dysfunction,” added Compton, deputy director of the U.S. Nationwide Institute on Drug Abuse.

For the examine, researchers analyzed information from the 2021 Nationwide Survey on Drug Use and Well being, an annual survey by the Substance Abuse and Psychological Well being Providers Administration.

About 2.5 million individuals aged 18 and older had opioid use dysfunction within the prior 12 months, and practically 107,000 individuals died of a drug overdose in 2021, with 75% of these deaths involving an opioid. Regardless of these statistics, solely 36% obtained any substance use remedy, and solely 22% obtained drugs for opioid use dysfunction, the survey confirmed.

Some teams have been a lot much less more likely to obtain treatment for opioid use dysfunction, together with Black adults, ladies, unemployed individuals, and people who lived in nonmetropolitan areas.

Particularly, white adults have been 14 instances extra more likely to obtain drugs for opioid use dysfunction than Black adults, and males have been six instances extra doubtless than ladies.

Medicines for opioid use dysfunction are most frequently prescribed to individuals with moderate-to-severe opioid use dysfunction. Adults with extreme opioid use dysfunction have been 5 instances extra more likely to obtain drugs for opioid use dysfunction in comparison with these with delicate opioid use dysfunction, the survey confirmed.

There’s at all times the chance of a deadly overdose if of us do not get assist in time.

Through the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal authorities relaxed a few of the rules round telemedicine, and it improved entry to drugs for opioid use dysfunction. Of us receiving substance use remedy by way of telehealth have been roughly 38 instances extra more likely to obtain drugs for opioid use dysfunction in comparison with those that didn’t obtain remedy by way of telehealth.

“The excellent news is that telemedicine use is related to larger entry to those drugs, and this information can be utilized to assist information telemedicine use of managed substances,” Compton mentioned.

There are different methods to take away boundaries to those drugs, he famous. “Offering further financing to states is an important software to enhance entry to treatment,” he mentioned. Cellular methadone clinics convey these drugs to the place they’re wanted most and can even enhance entry.

Medical doctors not want a particular waiver, often known as the X-waiver, to prescribe buprenorphine (Buprenex) to deal with opioid use dysfunction, which must also lead to larger entry to this treatment, Compton mentioned.

“If in case you have a beloved one with opioid use dysfunction, ensure you at all times have naloxone [Narcan] readily available to deal with an overdose,” he mentioned. This may quickly be out there with no prescription.

Sadly, the brand new findings don’t shock Dr. Sarah Wakeman. She is the medical director for substance use dysfunction at Mass Basic Brigham in Boston.

“Regardless of this being the worst overdose epidemic in historical past and having drugs available to deal with opioid dependancy, too few individuals obtain drugs for opioid use dysfunction, and there are ongoing and worsening disparities in who receives them,” mentioned Wakeman. She wasn’t concerned within the new examine.

There are a lot of causes that individuals aren’t receiving these drugs, together with the stigma related to their use, lack of training and coaching amongst well being care suppliers, and legal guidelines in some states, Wakeman mentioned.

How can extra individuals entry these drugs? “Eradicating the X-waiver is a superb factor, however our efforts should be multi-pronged,” she mentioned. “We have to make remedy out there and prepared the second an individual comes within the door.”

Pregnant ladies could pose particular issues. Buprenorphine is taken into account protected for girls throughout being pregnant, however some states will report ladies to youngster abuse providers if they’re taking the treatment once they ship.

“It’s the greatest remedy throughout being pregnant, however these legal guidelines have a chilling impact,” Wakeman mentioned.

SOURCES: Wilson Compton, MD, deputy director, U.S. Nationwide Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, Md.; Sarah Wakeman, MD, medical director, substance use dysfunction, Mass Basic Brigham, Boston; JAMA Community Open, Aug. 7, 2023

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