Racial and Ethnic Differences in Long-Term Outcomes among Individuals with Opioid Use Disorder at Opioid Treatment...

Area of Science:

• Addiction Medicine
• Health Services Research
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Long-term outcomes for medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) show poorly understood racial and ethnic differences.
• Opioid use disorder (OUD) affects diverse populations, necessitating research into equitable treatment outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate racial and ethnic disparities in long-term outcomes among individuals with OUD receiving MOUD.
• To compare psychiatric, social functioning, substance use, and treatment participation across racial and ethnic groups.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 751 participants with OUD from a randomized controlled trial across five US states.
• Categorization of participants into Non-Hispanic (NH) Black (9.6%), Hispanic (16.0%), and NH White (74.4%) groups.
• Assessment of differences in psychiatric/social functioning, substance use, and treatment participation over follow-up interviews.

Main Results:

• Hispanic participants reported a greater proportion of months with opioid use (45.5% vs. 32.5% for NH White) and less MOUD receipt (47.7% vs. 58.1%).
• Hispanic individuals received buprenorphine treatment less frequently (8.3% vs. 14.9% for NH White).
• Hispanic participants showed greater employment problem severity (0.72 vs. 0.58), while Black participants had less drug problem severity (0.11 vs. 0.16) compared to NH Whites.

Conclusions:

• Hispanic individuals with OUD exhibit higher opioid use but face significant barriers to MOUD access, particularly buprenorphine.
• Strategies to enhance MOUD accessibility for Hispanic populations are essential.
• Addressing employment challenges is vital for improving long-term outcomes for all individuals with OUD.