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Emergency-department initiated buprenorphine: Impact on quality of life

INTRODUCTION: Emergency department (ED)-initiated medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) have emerged as an acute care strategy against the opioid epidemic. When initiated in the outpatient setting, MOUD has been demonstrated to have a positive impact on patients’ quality of life (QoL). It is un...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Carroll, Caleb, Hand, Delissa, Covington, Whitney, Rodgers, Joel, Hudson, Jolanda, Li, Li, Walter, Lauren A.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Elsevier 2023
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10522937/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37771948
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dadr.2023.100191
Descripción
Sumario:INTRODUCTION: Emergency department (ED)-initiated medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) have emerged as an acute care strategy against the opioid epidemic. When initiated in the outpatient setting, MOUD has been demonstrated to have a positive impact on patients’ quality of life (QoL). It is unclear how engagement in ED-initiated MOUD, a novel initiation setting and unique patient cohort, might impact QoL. We sought to describe QoL variables reported by patients engaged in ED-initiated MOUD. METHODS: A retrospective observational study of an ED-initiated MOUD program was performed, inclusive of enrollments from July 2019 through February 2022. Participants were interviewed at intake, 3-months, and 6-months, during which QoL indices were measured via Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) variables. Descriptive statistics and Pearson's Chi-Square analyses were utilized to assess the data. RESULTS: Of 315 participants, majority were white (78.4 %), male (64.4 %), between the ages of 25–44 (74.6 %), and heavily burdened by lack of insurance, homelessness, and unemployment. One hundred forty participants (44.4 % eligible) completed 3-month follow-up and 90 (28.5 %) completed 6-month follow-up. There were no significant demographic differences amongst respondents at 3- and 6-months as compared to intake. Objective QoL variables significantly improved at 3- and 6-months as compared to intake (p < 0.01). Subjective QoL variables also demonstrated significant improvement at follow-up (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: ED patients with OUD, eligible for MOUD, may face a number of social and interpersonal variables which heavily impact QoL. ED-initiated MOUD may positively impact subsequent QoL when measured over time.