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Opioid and sedative misuse among veterans wounded in combat
Michelle L Kelley1, Adrian J Bravo2, Victoria R Votaw2
1Department of Psychology, Old Dominion University, United States; Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology, United States.
Addictive Behaviors
|January 15, 2019
Summary
Combat-wounded veterans show high rates of prescription opioid and sedative misuse. Sleep disturbances and alcohol use disorder scores may help identify at-risk individuals for misuse.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Public Health
- Military Medicine
Background:
- Combat-wounded veterans face significant emotional and physical distress.
- Misuse of prescription opioids and sedatives can worsen veteran distress.
- Understanding misuse patterns is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of prescription opioid and sedative misuse in combat-wounded veterans.
- To identify factors associated with prescription opioid and sedative misuse in this population.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 212 combat-wounded veterans via the Combat Wounded Coalition.
- Administered online surveys assessing mental health, substance use, PTSD, pain, and alcohol use.
- Defined prescription opioid and sedative misuse as non-prescribed use or exceeding prescribed dosage in the past year.
Main Results:
- High prevalence of past-year prescription opioid misuse (46.2%) and sedative misuse (21.7%).
- Co-misuse of both substances correlated with increased depression, anger, sleep disturbance, PTSD, suicidality, and pain interference.
- Sleep disturbance and higher Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) scores were associated with increased odds of sedative misuse.
Conclusions:
- Combat-wounded veterans exhibit substantial rates of prescription opioid and sedative misuse.
- Sleep problems and alcohol use indicators may serve as potential screening tools for identifying veterans at higher risk.
- Further research should focus on developing and implementing targeted prevention and treatment strategies.
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